Seminar
Molecular mechanisms of voltage- and
temperature- dependent gating of ion channels
Department of Neuroscience,
Members of the voltage-gated ion channel superfamily (VGICs) play a central role in electrical excitability in mammals. They are activated by voltage and, in some instances, also by physiological ligands and temperature. Despite the availability of high-resolution structures in recent years, a comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanisms is lacking in large part due to lack of robust tools for high-throughput mechanistic analysis. In the first part of the presentation, I will discuss the development of analytical tools to quantify and deconstruct the energetic effects of mutations in a model-independent fashion. In the second part, I will discuss our progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms that determine temperature-sensitivity in members of VGICs. Our studies shed light on a putatively novel paradigm for allosteric gating of ion channels.
Time: 10:00, June 24th, 2015(Wednesday)
Venue: Room 323, Medicine Building
