Mechanisms of photoswitch conjugation and light activation of an ionotropic glutamate receptor.
Authors:Gorostiza P,Volgraf M,Numano R,Szobota S,Trauner D,Isacoff EY
Journal:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
PubMed ID:17578923
The analysis of cell signaling requires the rapid and selective manipulation of protein function. We have synthesized photoswitches that covalently modify target proteins and reversibly present and withdraw a ligand from its binding site due to photoisomerization of an azobenzene linker. We describe here the properties of a glutamate photoswitch ... More
Simultaneous measurement of intracellular pH and Ca2+ in insulin-secreting cells by spectral imaging microscopy.
Authors:Martínez-Zaguilán R,Gurulé MW,Lynch RM
Journal:The American journal of physiology
PubMed ID:8967445
Functional implications of calcium permeability of the channel formed by pannexin 1.
Although human pannexins (PanX) are homologous to gap junction molecules, their physiological function in vertebrates remains poorly understood. Our results demonstrate that overexpression of PanX1 results in the formation of Ca(2+)-permeable gap junction channels between adjacent cells, thus, allowing direct intercellular Ca(2+) diffusion and facilitating intercellular Ca(2+) wave propagation. More ... More
Rescue of vasopressin V2 receptor mutants by chemical chaperones: specificity and mechanism.
Authors:Robben JH,Sze M,Knoers NV,Deen PM
Journal:Molecular biology of the cell
PubMed ID:16267275
Because missense mutations in genetic diseases of membrane proteins often result in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of functional proteins, drug-induced rescue of their cell surface expression and understanding the underlying mechanism are of clinical value. To study this, we tested chemical chaperones and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase pump inhibitors on ... More
Disruption of a single copy of the SERCA2 gene results in altered Ca2+ homeostasis and cardiomyocyte function.