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Calcium-mediated changes in gap junction structure - evidence from the low-angle x-ray pattern

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Unwin, Nigel (Peter)
  • Ennis, P. D.

publication date

  • 1983

journal

  • Journal of Cell Biology  Journal

abstract

  • Rat liver gap junctions were isolated in Ca2+-free media and analyzed in controlled environments by x-ray diffraction of partially oriented pellets. Different treatments of the same preparations were compared. The ordered hexagonal lattices gave rise to detail that was sensitive to low Ca2+ concentrations (0.05 mM), but not to Mg2+ (up to 0.16 mM) or pH (between 6.0 and 8.0). The major Ca2+-mediated responses were reductions in the intensity of the (1, 0) peak and in the off-equatorial contributions to the (2, 1) peak, and changes of scale equivalent to a decrease (approximately 2%) in lattice dimension, but an increase (approximately 4%) in the dimension perpendicular to the lattice. A simple structural interpretation of these findings is that Ca2+ induces the subunits of the channel-forming assembly, the connexon, to align more nearly parallel to the channel, thereby causing the connexon to become slightly longer and more radially compact. The rearrangement is of the same nature as one found under less physiological circumstances by electron microscopy (Unwin, P. N. T., and G. Zampighi, 1980, Nature (Lond.)., 283:545-549), and may be part of a coordinated mechanism by which the channel closes.

subject areas

  • Animals
  • Calcium
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Intercellular Junctions
  • Liver
  • Magnesium
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • X-Ray Diffraction
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Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0021-9525

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1083/jcb.97.5.1459

PubMed ID

  • 6630291
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 1459

end page

  • 1466

volume

  • 97

issue

  • 5

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