WEB FOCUS
Voltage sensing by membrane proteins
In this focus
The electrical potential across cellular membranes is sensed by specialized proteins — typically, voltage-gated ion channels. Until recently, the mechanism by which 'voltage sensors' respond to potential changes was unclear. But since the first, and very surprising, structure of a voltage-sensing domain 5 years ago, much progress has been made. This focus celebrates the twists and turns of that progress in an archive of Nature papers from the past 5 years.
Image: Stephen B. Long, Xiao Tao, Ernest B. Campbell, Roderick MacKinnon
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Current Research
Review
Sensing voltage across lipid membranes
Kenton J. Swartz
Nature 456, 891–897 (18 December 2008) doi:10.1038/nature07620
Article
Deconstructing voltage sensor function and pharmacology in sodium channels
Frank Bosmans, Marie-France Martin-Eauclaire & Kenton J. Swartz
Nature 456, 202–208 (13 November 2008) doi:10.1038/nature07473
Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary Information
News and Views
Ion channels: The voltage-sensor quartet Free access
J. R. Bankston & R. S. Kass
Nature 456, 183–185 (13 November 2008) doi:10.1038/456183a
Letter
Removal of phospho-head groups of membrane lipids immobilizes voltage sensors of K+ channels
Yanping Xu, Yajamana Ramu & Zhe Lu
Nature 451, 826–829 (14 February 2008) doi:10.1038/nature06618
Article
Atomic structure of a voltage-dependent K+ channel in a lipid membrane-like environment
Stephen B. Long, Xiao Tao, Ernest B. Campbell & Roderick MacKinnon
Nature 450, 376–382 (15 November 2007) doi:10.1038/nature06265
Article
Portability of paddle motif function and pharmacology in voltage sensors
AbdulRasheed A. Alabi, Maria Isabel Bahamonde, Hoi Jong Jung, Jae Il Kim & Kenton J. Swartz
Nature 450, 370–375 (15 November 2007) doi:10.1038/nature06266
Letter
Structure prediction for the down state of a potassium channel voltage sensor
Michael Grabe, Helen C. Lai, Monika Jain, Yuh Nung Jan & Lily Yeh Jan
Nature 445, 550–553 (1 February 2007) doi:10.1038/nature05494
Letter
The twisted ion-permeation pathway of a resting voltage-sensing domain
Francesco Tombola, Medha M. Pathak, Pau Gorostiza & Ehud Y. Isacoff
Nature 445, 546–549 (1 February 2007) doi:10.1038/nature05396
Letter
Phospholipids and the origin of cationic gating charges in voltage sensors
Daniel Schmidt, Qiu-Xing Jiang & Roderick MacKinnon
Nature 444, 775–779 (7 December 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05416
News and Views
Ion channels: A paddle in oil
Anthony G. Lee
Nature 444, 697 (7 December 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05408
Letter
Enzymatic activation of voltage-gated potassium channels
Yajamana Ramu, Yanping Xu & Zhe Lu
Nature 442, 696–699 (10 August 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04880
Letter
A voltage-gated proton-selective channel lacking the pore domain
I. Scott Ramsey, Magdalene M. Moran, Jayhong A. Chong & David E. Clapham
Nature 440, 1213–1216 (27 April 2006) doi:10.1038/nature04700
Letter
Voltage-sensor activation with a tarantula toxin as cargo
L. Revell Phillips et al.
Nature 436, 857–860 (11 August 2005) doi:10.1038/nature03873
Letter
Gating charge displacement in voltage-gated ion channels involves limited transmembrane movement
Baron Chanda, Osei Kwame Asamoah, Rikard Blunck, Benoît Roux & Francisco Bezanilla
Nature 436, 852–856 (11 August 2005) doi:10.1038/nature03888
Letter
Small vertical movement of a K+ channel voltage sensor measured with luminescence energy transfer
David J. Posson, Pinghua Ge, Christopher Miller, Francisco Bezanilla & Paul R. Selvin
Nature 436, 848–851 (11 August 2005) doi:10.1038/nature03819
Letter
Phosphoinositide phosphatase activity coupled to an intrinsic voltage sensor
Yoshimichi Murata, Hirohide Iwasaki, Mari Sasaki, Kazuo Inaba & Yasushi Okamura
Nature 435, 1239–1243 (30 June 2005) doi:10.1038/nature03650
Letter
Electron microscopic analysis of KvAP voltage-dependent K+ channels in an open conformation
Qiu-Xing Jiang, Da-Neng Wang & Roderick MacKinnon
Nature 430, 806–810 (12 August 2004) doi:10.1038/nature02735
Letter
A membrane-access mechanism of ion channel inhibition by voltage sensor toxins from spider venom
Seok-Yong Lee & Roderick MacKinnon
Nature 430, 232–235 (8 July 2004) doi:10.1038/nature02632
News and Views
Ion channels: Gate expectations
Maria L. Garcia
Nature 430, 153–155 (8 July 2004) doi:10.1038/430153a
Letter
A proton pore in a potassium channel voltage sensor reveals a focused electric field
Dorine M. Starace & Francisco Bezanilla
Nature 427, 548–553 (5 February 2004) doi:10.1038/nature02270
News and Views
Ion channels: Shake, rattle or roll?
Robert O. Blaustein & Christopher Miller
Nature 427, 499–500 (5 February 2004) doi:10.1038/427499a
Article
The principle of gating charge movement in a voltage-dependent K+ channel
Youxing Jiang, Vanessa Ruta, Jiayun Chen, Alice Lee & Roderick MacKinnon
Nature 423, 42–48 (1 May 2003) doi:10.1038/nature01581
Article
X-ray structure of a voltage-dependent K+ channel
Youxing Jiang et al.
Nature 423, 33–41 (1 May 2003) doi:10.1038/nature01580
News and Views
Structural biology: Life's transistors
Fred J. Sigworth
Nature 423, 21–22 (1 May 2003) doi:10.1038/423021a