Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations

The mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) has become a model system in which to understand mechanosensation, a process involved in osmoregulation and many other physiological functions. While a high resolution closed state structure is available, details of the open structure and the...

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Main Authors: Deplazes, Evelyne, Louhivuori, M., Jayatilaka, D., Marrink, S., Corry, B.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4858
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author Deplazes, Evelyne
Louhivuori, M.
Jayatilaka, D.
Marrink, S.
Corry, B.
author_facet Deplazes, Evelyne
Louhivuori, M.
Jayatilaka, D.
Marrink, S.
Corry, B.
author_sort Deplazes, Evelyne
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) has become a model system in which to understand mechanosensation, a process involved in osmoregulation and many other physiological functions. While a high resolution closed state structure is available, details of the open structure and the gating mechanism remain unknown. In this study we combine coarse grained simulations with restraints from EPR and FRET experiments to study the structural changes involved in gating with much greater level of conformational sampling than has previously been possible. We generated a set of plausible open pore structures that agree well with existing open pore structures and gating models. Most interestingly, we found that membrane thinning induces a kink in the upper part of TM1 that causes an outward motion of the periplasmic loop away from the pore centre. This previously unobserved structural change might present a new mechanism of tension sensing and might be related to a functional role in osmoregulation.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2012
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-48582017-09-13T14:45:10Z Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations Deplazes, Evelyne Louhivuori, M. Jayatilaka, D. Marrink, S. Corry, B. The mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) has become a model system in which to understand mechanosensation, a process involved in osmoregulation and many other physiological functions. While a high resolution closed state structure is available, details of the open structure and the gating mechanism remain unknown. In this study we combine coarse grained simulations with restraints from EPR and FRET experiments to study the structural changes involved in gating with much greater level of conformational sampling than has previously been possible. We generated a set of plausible open pore structures that agree well with existing open pore structures and gating models. Most interestingly, we found that membrane thinning induces a kink in the upper part of TM1 that causes an outward motion of the periplasmic loop away from the pore centre. This previously unobserved structural change might present a new mechanism of tension sensing and might be related to a functional role in osmoregulation. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4858 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002683 fulltext
spellingShingle Deplazes, Evelyne
Louhivuori, M.
Jayatilaka, D.
Marrink, S.
Corry, B.
Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title_full Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title_fullStr Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title_full_unstemmed Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title_short Structural Investigation of MscL Gating Using Experimental Data and Coarse Grained MD Simulations
title_sort structural investigation of mscl gating using experimental data and coarse grained md simulations
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/4858