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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

Abstract | Full Text | PDF

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

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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

Abstract | Full Text | PDF

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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News and Views

Ion channels: A paddle in oil

Anthony G. Lee

Nature 444, 697 (7 December 2006) doi:10.1038/nature05408

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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News and Views

Ion channels: Gate expectations

Maria L. Garcia

Nature 430, 153–155 (8 July 2004) doi:10.1038/430153a

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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

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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

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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

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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

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News and Views

Structural biology: Life's transistors

Fred J. Sigworth

Nature 423, 21–22 (1 May 2003) doi:10.1038/423021a

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