A composite continuum theory for calculating ion current through a protein channel of known structure is proposed, which incorporates information about the channel dynamics. The approach is utilized to predict current through the Gramicidin A ion channel, a narrow pore in which the applicability of conventional continuum theories is questionable. The proposed approach utilizes a modified versio...

To foster communication and interactions amongst international scholars and scientists in the field of ion channel research, the 6th International Ion Channel Conference (IICC-2017) was held between June 23-27, 2017 in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, China. The meeting consisted of 450 attendees and 130 speakers and poster presenters. The program consisted of research progress, new finding...

Previous X-ray studies of have focused on the closed state of the potassium channel. Now the structure of a calcium-activated bacterial potassium channel has revealed the nature of the channel's open state. This provides a first view at high resolution of ion channel gating.

Although ion channels are attractive targets for drug discovery, the systematic screening of ion channel-targeted drugs remains challenging. To facilitate automated single ion-channel recordings for the analysis of drug interactions with the intra- and extracellular domain, we have developed a parallel recording methodology using artificial cell membranes. The use of stable lipid bilayer format...

Ion channels are known to regulate cancer processes at all stages. The roles of ion channels in cancer pathology are extremely diverse. We systematically analyzed the expression patterns of ion channel genes in lung adenocarcinoma. First, we compared the expression of ion channel genes between normal and tumor tissues in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Thirty-seven ion channel genes were ide...

Influenza A virus (IAV) matrix protein 2 (M2) is among the smallest bona fide, hence extensively studied, ion channel proteins. The M2 ion channel activity is not only essential for virus replication, but also involved in modulation of cellular homeostasis in a variety of ways. It is also the target for ion channel inhibitors, i.e., anti-influenza drugs. Thus far, several studies have been cond...

Protein S-acylation, the reversible covalent fatty-acid modification of cysteine residues, has emerged as a dynamic posttranslational modification (PTM) that controls the diversity, life cycle, and physiological function of numerous ligand- and voltage-gated ion channels. S-acylation is enzymatically mediated by a diverse family of acyltransferases (zDHHCs) and is reversed by acylthioesterases....