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The Crystal Structure of a Potassium Channel— A New Era in the Chemistry of Biological Signaling
Author(s) -
Dougherty Dennis A.,
Lester Henry A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3773(19980918)37:17<2329::aid-anie2329>3.0.co;2-m
Subject(s) - potassium channel , chemistry , schematic , crystal structure , channel (broadcasting) , potassium , ion , ion channel , crystallography , selectivity , kcsa potassium channel , chemical physics , stereochemistry , biophysics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , computer science , telecommunications , electrical engineering , receptor , engineering , catalysis
The similarity to crown ethers is apparent when the arrangement of the oxygen atoms of the carbonyl groups of the protein backbone in the structure of the potassium channel (see schematic drawing of a section of the structure) found in the bacterium Streptomyces lividans is considered. This particular part of the channel pore acts as the selectivity filter, with the permeability of the channel for K + being as much as 10 000 times greater than for the Na + ion. In fact, in this area of the structure two K + ions are located, a feature that enables high flux through the channel.