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XB-ART-50444
J Biol Chem 2015 Jan 02;2901:568-76. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M114.606152.
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Na+ inhibits the epithelial Na+ channel by binding to a site in an extracellular acidic cleft.

Kashlan OB , Blobner BM , Zuzek Z , Tolino M , Kleyman TR .


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The epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) has a key role in the regulation of extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. ENaC belongs to a family of ion channels that sense the external environment. These channels have large extracellular regions that are thought to interact with environmental cues, such as Na(+), Cl(-), protons, proteases, and shear stress, which modulate gating behavior. We sought to determine the molecular mechanism by which ENaC senses high external Na(+) concentrations, resulting in an inhibition of channel activity. Both our structural model of an ENaC α subunit and the resolved structure of an acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC1) have conserved acidic pockets in the periphery of the extracellular region of the channel. We hypothesized that these acidic pockets host inhibitory allosteric Na(+) binding sites. Through site-directed mutagenesis targeting the acidic pocket, we modified the inhibitory response to external Na(+). Mutations at selected sites altered the cation inhibitory preference to favor Li(+) or K(+) rather than Na(+). Channel activity was reduced in response to restraining movement within this region by cross-linking structures across the acidic pocket. Our results suggest that residues within the acidic pocket form an allosteric effector binding site for Na(+). Our study supports the hypothesis that an acidic cleft is a key ligand binding locus for ENaC and perhaps other members of the ENaC/degenerin family.

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References [+] :
Anantharam, Open probability of the epithelial sodium channel is regulated by intracellular sodium. 2006, Pubmed, Xenbase