Scripps VIVO scripps research logo

  • Index
  • Log in
  • Home
  • People
  • Organizations
  • Research
  • Events
Search form
As of April 1st VIVO Scientific Profiles will no longer updated for faculty, and the link to VIVO will be removed from the library website. Faculty profile pages will continue to be updated via Interfolio. VIVO will continue being used behind the scenes to update graduate student profiles. Please contact helplib@scripps.edu if you have questions.
How to download citations from VIVO | Alternative profile options

Electron microscopic image analysis of cardiac gap junction membrane crystals

Academic Article
uri icon
  • Overview
  • Research
  • Identity
  • Additional Document Info
  • View All
scroll to property group menus

Overview

authors

  • Yeager, Mark

publication date

  • August 1995

journal

  • Microscopy Research and Technique  Journal

abstract

  • Cardiac gap junctions play an important functional role in the myocardium by electrically coupling adjacent cells, thereby providing a low resistance pathway for cell-to-cell propagation of the action potential. Two-dimensional crystallization of biochemically isolated rat ventricular gap junctions has been accomplished by an in situ method in which membrane suspensions are sequentially dialyzed against low concentrations of deoxycholate and dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside. Lipids are partially extracted without solubilizing the protein, and the increased protein concentration facilitates two-dimensional crystallization in the native membrane environment. The two-dimensional crystals have a nominal resolution of 16 A and display plane group symmetry p6 with a = b = 85 A and gamma = 120 degrees. Projection density maps show that the connexons in cardiac gap junctions are formed by a hexameric cluster of alpha 1 connexin subunits. Protease cleavage of alpha 1 connexin from 43 to 30 kDa releases approximately 13kDa from the carboxy-tail, and the projection density maps are not significantly altered. Uranyl acetate stain penetrates the ion channel, whereas phosphotungstic acid is preferentially deposited over the lipid regions. This differential staining can be used to selectively probe the central channel of the connexon and the interface between the connexon and the lipid. The hexameric design of alpha 1 connexons appears to be a recurring quaternary motif for the multigene family of gap junction proteins.

subject areas

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Communication
  • Connexins
  • Crystallization
  • Electron Probe Microanalysis
  • Gap Junctions
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Ion Channels
  • Liver
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myocardium
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
scroll to property group menus

Research

keywords

  • CONNEXINS
  • CRYSTALLIZATION
  • ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
  • IMAGE ANALYSIS
  • INTERCELLULAR COMMUNICATION
scroll to property group menus

Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1059-910X

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/jemt.1070310514

PubMed ID

  • 8534906
scroll to property group menus

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 452

end page

  • 466

volume

  • 31

issue

  • 5

©2022 The Scripps Research Institute | Terms of Use | Powered by VIVO

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Support