Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1935353 | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications | 2008 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
There has been confusion about the subunit stoichiometry of the degenerin family of ion channels. Recently, a crystal structure of acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) 1a revealed that it assembles as a trimer. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image unprocessed ASIC1a bound to mica. We detected a mixture of subunit monomers, dimers and trimers. In some cases, triple-subunit clusters were clearly visible, confirming the trimeric structure of the channel, and indicating that the trimer sometimes disaggregated after adhesion to the mica surface. This AFM-based technique will now enable us to determine the subunit arrangement within heteromeric ASICs.
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Authors
Stewart M. Carnally, Harveer S. Dev, Andrew P. Stewart, Nelson P. Barrera, Miguel X. Van Bemmelen, Laurent Schild, Robert M. Henderson, J.Michael Edwardson,