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Carnally, Stewart M.; Dev, Harveer S.; Stewart, Andrew P.; Barrera, Nelson P.; Van Bemmelen, Miguel X.; Schild, Laurent; Henderson, Robert M.; Edwardson, J.Michael
Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 08/2008, Volume: 372, Issue: 4Journal Article
There has been confusion about the subunit stoichiometry of the degenerin family of ion channels. Recently, a crystal structure of acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) 1a revealed that it assembles as a trimer. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image unprocessed ASIC1a bound to mica. We detected a mixture of subunit monomers, dimers and trimers. In some cases, triple-subunit clusters were clearly visible, confirming the trimeric structure of the channel, and indicating that the trimer sometimes disaggregated after adhesion to the mica surface. This AFM-based technique will now enable us to determine the subunit arrangement within heteromeric ASICs.
