Mechanosensitive channels sense and respond to changes in bilayer tension. In many respects, this is a unique property: the changes in membrane tension gate the channel, leading to the transient formation of open non-selective pores. Pore diameter is also high for the bacterial channels studied, MscS and MscL. Consequently, in cells, gating has severe consequences for energetics and homoeostasis, since membrane depolarization and modification of cytoplasmic ionic composition is an immediate consequence. Protection against disruption of cellular integrity, which is the function of the major channels, provides a strong evolutionary rationale for possession of such disruptive channels. The elegant crystal structures for these channels has opened the way to detailed investigations that combine molecular genetics with electrophysiology and studies of cellular behaviour. In the present article, the focus is primarily on the structure of MscS, the small mechanosensitive channel. The description of the structure is accompanied by discussion of the major sites of channel–lipid interaction and reasoned, but limited, speculation on the potential mechanisms of tension sensing leading to gating.
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Conference Article|
May 20 2011
Sensing bilayer tension: bacterial mechanosensitive channels and their gating mechanisms
Ian R. Booth;
Ian R. Booth
1
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email i.r.booth@abdn.ac.uk).
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Tim Rasmussen;
Tim Rasmussen
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Michelle D. Edwards;
Michelle D. Edwards
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Susan Black;
Susan Black
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Akiko Rasmussen;
Akiko Rasmussen
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Wendy Bartlett;
Wendy Bartlett
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Samantha Miller
Samantha Miller
1Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 16 2011
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society
2011
Biochem Soc Trans (2011) 39 (3): 733–740.
Article history
Received:
February 16 2011
Citation
Ian R. Booth, Tim Rasmussen, Michelle D. Edwards, Susan Black, Akiko Rasmussen, Wendy Bartlett, Samantha Miller; Sensing bilayer tension: bacterial mechanosensitive channels and their gating mechanisms. Biochem Soc Trans 1 June 2011; 39 (3): 733–740. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0390733
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