Elucidation of the flexible structure-function relationship of the potassium channel KcsA using high resolution microscopy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870233
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics; Biophysics
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Sumino Ayumi 福井大学, 医学部, 特別研究員 (80717140)
• Research Collaborator: Uchihashi Takayuki 金沢大学, 数物科学系, 教授 (30326300) ; Ulf Skoglund 沖縄科学技術大学院大学, 構造細胞生物学ユニット, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 生体膜 / 受容体 / チャンネル / 原子間力顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Structure of pH-dependent potassium channel KcsA is roughly divided into transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. The high resolution structure of the transmembrane domains have been revealed by the crystal structure, but the high resolution structure of the cytoplasmic domain is unknown. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the structure of the cytoplasmic domain of KcsA channel in water and non-crystalline state. Atomic force microscopy revealed that, the cytoplasmic domain of KcsA channel were fluctuating at a high speed. The result indicates that the cytoplasmic domain of KcsA does not take a hard specific structure in water.

Free Research Field

生物物理学