Computer simulations reveal the energy landscape of ion channels

Every cell of our body is separated from its environment by a lipid bilayer. In order to maintain their biological function and to transduce signals, special proteins, so called ion channels, are embedded in the membrane. Anna Stary-Weinzinger and Tobias Linder from the University of Vienna and Bert de Groot from the Max Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen identified a key amino acid (phenylalanine 114), which plays an essential role for opening and closing of these ion channels. A conformational change of phenylalanine triggers opening of the channels.

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