Recent structural and functional analyses of MthK, a prokaryotic Ca2+-activated K+ channel, suggest that the interplay between cytoplasmic Ca2+ and H+ concentrations determines the oligomeric stability of its associated RCK domain and thus controls activation gating. However, the discovery of a ligand-dependent desensitization process suggests that gating in these channels might be more complicated than originally envisioned.
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Chakrapani, S., Perozo, E. How to gate an ion channel: lessons from MthK. Nat Struct Mol Biol 14, 180–182 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0307-180
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0307-180
