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Atomic structure of the innexin-6 gap junction channel determined by cryo-EM

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  • Atsunori Oshima

    (Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute (CeSPI), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku
    Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku)

  • Kazutoshi Tani

    (Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute (CeSPI), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku)

  • Yoshinori Fujiyoshi

    (Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute (CeSPI), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku
    Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku)

Abstract

Innexins, a large protein family comprising invertebrate gap junction channels, play an essential role in nervous system development and electrical synapse formation. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of Caenorhabditis elegans innexin-6 (INX-6) gap junction channels at atomic resolution. We find that the arrangements of the transmembrane helices and extracellular loops of the INX-6 monomeric structure are highly similar to those of connexin-26 (Cx26), despite the lack of significant sequence similarity. The INX-6 gap junction channel comprises hexadecameric subunits but reveals the N-terminal pore funnel, consistent with Cx26. The helix-rich cytoplasmic loop and C-terminus are intercalated one-by-one through an octameric hemichannel, forming a dome-like entrance that interacts with N-terminal loops in the pore. These observations suggest that the INX-6 cytoplasmic domains are cooperatively associated with the N-terminal funnel conformation, and an essential linkage of the N-terminal with channel activity is presumably preserved across gap junction families.

Suggested Citation

  • Atsunori Oshima & Kazutoshi Tani & Yoshinori Fujiyoshi, 2016. "Atomic structure of the innexin-6 gap junction channel determined by cryo-EM," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13681
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13681
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhihui He & Yonghui Zhao & Michael J. Rau & James A. J. Fitzpatrick & Rajan Sah & Hongzhen Hu & Peng Yuan, 2023. "Structural and functional analysis of human pannexin 2 channel," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Hang Zhang & Shiyu Wang & Zhenzhen Zhang & Mengzhuo Hou & Chunyu Du & Zhenye Zhao & Horst Vogel & Zhifang Li & Kaige Yan & Xiaokang Zhang & Jianping Lu & Yujie Liang & Shuguang Yuan & Daping Wang & Hu, 2023. "Cryo-EM structure of human heptameric pannexin 2 channel," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.

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