scholarly journals Dynamics of Ca2+-Calmodulin–dependent Inhibition of Rod Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channels Measured by Patch-clamp Fluorometry

2004 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Trudeau ◽  
William N. Zagotta

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channels mediate cellular responses to sensory stimuli. In vertebrate photoreceptors, CNG channels respond to the light-induced decrease in cGMP by closing an ion-conducting pore that is permeable to cations, including Ca2+ ions. Rod CNG channels are directly inhibited by Ca2+-calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM), but the physiological role of this modulation is unknown. Native rod CNG channels comprise three CNGA1 subunits and one CNGB1 subunit. The single CNGB1 subunit confers several key properties on heteromeric channels, including Ca2+/CaM-dependent modulation. The molecular basis for Ca2+/CaM inhibition of rod CNG channels has been proposed to involve the binding of Ca2+/CaM to a site in the NH2-terminal region of the CNGB1 subunit, which disrupts an interaction between the NH2-terminal region of CNGB1 and the COOH-terminal region of CNGA1. Here, we test this mechanism for Ca2+/CaM-dependent inhibition of CNGA1/CNGB1 channels by simultaneously monitoring protein interactions with fluorescence spectroscopy and channel function with patch-clamp recording. Our results show that Ca2+/CaM binds directly to CNG channels, and that binding is the rate-limiting step for channel inhibition. Further, we show that the NH2- and COOH-terminal regions of CNGB1 and CNGA1 subunits, respectively, are in close proximity, and that Ca2+/CaM binding causes a relative rearrangement or separation of these regions. This motion occurs with the same time course as channel inhibition, consistent with the notion that rearrangement of the NH2- and COOH-terminal regions underlies Ca2+/CaM-dependent inhibition.

2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (1) ◽  
pp. C187-C198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunming Liu ◽  
Michael D. Varnum

Progressive cone dystrophies are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by early deterioration of visual acuity and color vision, together with psychophysical and electrophysiological evidence of abnormal cone function and cone degeneration. Recently, three mutations in the gene encoding the CNGA3 subunit of cone photoreceptor cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels have been linked to progressive cone dystrophy in humans. To investigate the functional consequences of these mutations, we expressed mutant human CNGA3 subunits in Xenopus oocytes, alone or together with human CNGB3, and studied these channels using patch-clamp recording. Compared with wild-type channels, homomeric and heteromeric channels containing CNGA3-N471S or CNGA3-R563H subunits exhibited an increase in apparent affinity for cGMP and an increase in the relative agonist efficacy of cAMP compared with cGMP. In contrast, R277C subunits did not form functional homomeric or heteromeric channels. Cell surface expression levels, determined using confocal microscopy of green fluorescent protein-tagged subunits and patch-clamp recording, were significantly reduced for both R563H and R277C but unchanged for N471S. Overall, these results suggest that the plasma membrane localization and gating properties of cone CNG channels are altered by progressive cone dystrophy-associated mutations, providing evidence that supports the pathogenicity of these mutations.


Author(s):  
R H. Selinfreund ◽  
A. H. Cornell-Bell

Cellular electrophysiological properties are normally monitored by standard patch clamp techniques . The combination of membrane potential dyes with time-lapse laser confocal microscopy provides a more direct, least destructive rapid method for monitoring changes in neuronal electrical activity. Using membrane potential dyes we found that spontaneous action potential firing can be detected using time-lapse confocal microscopy. Initially, patch clamp recording techniques were used to verify spontaneous electrical activity in GH4\C1 pituitary cells. It was found that serum depleted cells had reduced spontaneous electrical activity. Brief exposure to the serum derived growth factor, IGF-1, reconstituted electrical activity. We have examined the possibility of developing a rapid fluorescent assay to measure neuronal activity using membrane potential dyes. This neuronal regeneration assay has been adapted to run on a confocal microscope. Quantitative fluorescence is then used to measure a compounds ability to regenerate neuronal firing.The membrane potential dye di-8-ANEPPS was selected for these experiments. Di-8- ANEPPS is internalized slowly, has a high signal to noise ratio (40:1), has a linear fluorescent response to change in voltage.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 326-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Andreasen ◽  
J. J. Hablitz

1. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to study paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of the lateral perforant path input to the dentate gyrus in thin hippocampal slices. 2. Orthodromic stimulation of the lateral perforant pathway evoked a excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) with a latency of 3.3 +/- 0.1 ms (mean +/- SE) that fluctuated in amplitude. The EPSC had a rise time (10-90%) of 2.79 +/- 0.06 ms (n = 35) and decayed with a single exponential time course with a time-constant of 9.14 +/- 0.24 ms (n = 35). No correlation was found between the amplitude of the EPSC and the rise time or decay time-constant. The non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione completely blocked the EPSC whereas the NMDA antagonist D-aminophosphonovaleric acid (APV) had modest effects. 3. When a test (T-)EPSC was preceded at an interval of 100 ms by a conditioning (C-)EPSC, a significant increase in the amplitude of the T-EPSC was seen in 38 out of 44 trials analyzed from a total of 27 granule cells. The average amount of PPF was 35.7 +/- 2.1%. There was no apparent correlation between the amount of PPF and the stimulation intensity or mean amplitude of the C-EPSC. The time course of the facilitated T-EPSC was not significantly different from that of the C-EPSC. 4. No correlation was found between the amplitude of the C-EPSC and that of the T-EPSC. Estimates of quantal content (mcv) were determined by calculating the ratio of the squared averaged EPSC amplitude (from 48 responses) to the variance of these responses (M2/sigma 2) whereas quantal amplitudes (qcv) were estimated by calculating the ratio of the response variance to average EPSC amplitude (sigma 2/M). PPF was found to be associated with an average increase in mcv of 64.8 +/- 7.2% (n = 38) whereas qcv was decreased by 12.1 +/- 3.8%. 5. The time course of PPF was studied by varying the interval between the C- and T-pulse from 10 to 400 ms while keeping the stimulation intensity constant. Maximal facilitation of the T-EPSC was obtained with interpulse intervals < or = 25 ms where the average facilitation amounted to approximately 70% (n = 6). The decline of facilitation was nearly exponential and was no longer evident with intervals > 350 ms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (4) ◽  
pp. C1051-C1060 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Millul ◽  
D. Prie ◽  
M. Geniteau-Legendre ◽  
M. C. Verpont ◽  
B. Baudouin ◽  
...  

Egression of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-stimulated guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) was compared with that of isoproterenol-stimulated adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in a rabbit collecting duct cell line transformed with a temperature-sensitive strain of simian virus 40 (SV40). At 39.5 degrees C (inactivated large T), cells exhibit major features of principal cells, whereas at 33 degrees C (functional large T) they lose most of their specific properties. When cells were grown on plastic at 39.5 degrees C, both cyclic nucleotides were predominantly released extracellularly via probenecid-sensitive carriers. Probenecid (3mM) reduced the ratios of extracellular cGMP and cAMP by 84 and 70%, respectively. The amount of extracellular cGMP or cAMP ws linearly correlated with the time integral of the intracellular cyclic nucleotide, suggesting first-order kinetics. The apparent first-order rate constant (k) was sixfold greater for cGMP (0.139 +/- 0.037 min-1, n = 3 experiments) than for cAMP (0.022 +/- 0.003(-1), n = 3 experiments). 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine markedly inhibited extrusion of cGMP (k = 0.022 +/- 0.003 min-1), whereas that of cAMP was unchanged. When cells were grown on filters at 39.5 degrees C, both nucleotides were predominantly released in the apical medium but with a greater polarity for cGMP (83 +/- 4%, n = 6 experiments) than for cAMP (60 +/- 6%, n = 3 experiments) and a prevailing apical localization of the probenecid-sensitive carrier. Activation of SV40 large T at 33 degrees C did not alter cyclic nucleotide transport characteristics but abolished the polarity of probenecid-sensitive cyclic nucleotide extrusion. These results suggest a physiological role for luminal cGMP in the rabbit collecting duct and a specific effect of large T on the probenecid-sensitive carrier polarity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Li ◽  
Shanchu Su ◽  
Jiaqi Yu ◽  
Minjing Peng ◽  
Shengjun Wan ◽  
...  

A patch-clamp recording in slices generated from the brain or the spinal cord has facilitated the exploration of neuronal circuits and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological disorders. However, the rodents that are used to generate the spinal cord slices in previous studies involving a patch-clamp recording have been limited to those in the juvenile or adolescent stage. Here, we applied an N-methyl-D-glucamine HCl (NMDG-HCl) solution that enabled the patch-clamp recordings to be performed on the superficial dorsal horn neurons in the slices derived from middle-aged rats. The success rate of stable recordings from substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons was 34.6% (90/260). When stimulated with long current pulses, 43.3% (39/90) of the neurons presented a tonic-firing pattern, which was considered to represent γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) signals. Presumptive glutamatergic neurons presented 38.9% (35/90) delayed and 8.3% (7/90) single-spike patterns. The intrinsic membrane properties of both the neuron types were similar but delayed (glutamatergic) neurons appeared to be more excitable as indicated by the decreased latency and rheobase values of the action potential compared with those of tonic (GABAergic) neurons. Furthermore, the glutamatergic neurons were integrated, which receive more excitatory synaptic transmission. We demonstrated that the NMDG-HCl cutting solution could be used to prepare the spinal cord slices of middle-aged rodents for the patch-clamp recording. In combination with other techniques, this preparation method might permit the further study of the functions of the spinal cord in the pathological processes that occur in aging-associated diseases.


1999 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Molokanova ◽  
Alexei Savchenko ◽  
Richard H. Kramer

Rod photoreceptor cyclic nucleotide–gated (CNG) channels are modulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Rod CNG channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes are associated with constitutively active protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases that decrease and increase, respectively, the apparent affinity of the channels for cGMP. Here, we examine the effects of genistein, a competitive inhibitor of the ATP binding site, on PTKs. Like other PTK inhibitors (lavendustin A and erbstatin), cytoplasmic application of genistein prevents changes in the cGMP sensitivity that are attributable to tyrosine phosphorylation of the CNG channels. However, unlike these other inhibitors, genistein also slows the activation kinetics and reduces the maximal current through CNG channels at saturating cGMP. These effects occur in the absence of ATP, indicating that they do not involve inhibition of a phosphorylation event, but rather involve an allosteric effect of genistein on CNG channel gating. This could result from direct binding of genistein to the channel; however, the time course of inhibition is surprisingly slow (&gt;30 s), raising the possibility that genistein exerts its effects indirectly. In support of this hypothesis, we find that ligands that selectively bind to PTKs without directly binding to the CNG channel can nonetheless decrease the effect of genistein. Thus, ATP and a nonhydrolyzable ATP derivative competitively inhibit the effect of genistein on the channel. Moreover, erbstatin, an inhibitor of PTKs, can noncompetitively inhibit the effect of genistein. Taken together, these results suggest that in addition to inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation of the rod CNG channel catalyzed by PTKs, genistein triggers a noncatalytic interaction between the PTK and the channel that allosterically inhibits gating.


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