Atomic structure of the innexin-6 gap junction channel determined by cryo-EM

Nat Commun. 2016 Dec 1:7:13681. doi: 10.1038/ncomms13681.

Abstract

Innexins, a large protein family comprising invertebrate gap junction channels, play an essential role in nervous system development and electrical synapse formation. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of Caenorhabditis elegans innexin-6 (INX-6) gap junction channels at atomic resolution. We find that the arrangements of the transmembrane helices and extracellular loops of the INX-6 monomeric structure are highly similar to those of connexin-26 (Cx26), despite the lack of significant sequence similarity. The INX-6 gap junction channel comprises hexadecameric subunits but reveals the N-terminal pore funnel, consistent with Cx26. The helix-rich cytoplasmic loop and C-terminus are intercalated one-by-one through an octameric hemichannel, forming a dome-like entrance that interacts with N-terminal loops in the pore. These observations suggest that the INX-6 cytoplasmic domains are cooperatively associated with the N-terminal funnel conformation, and an essential linkage of the N-terminal with channel activity is presumably preserved across gap junction families.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / ultrastructure*
  • Connexins / chemistry
  • Connexins / metabolism*
  • Connexins / ultrastructure*
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy*
  • Gap Junctions / metabolism*
  • Gap Junctions / ultrastructure*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Domains
  • Structural Homology, Protein

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Connexins