Small change makes a big difference for ion channels
Thursday, June 2, 2011 - 15:30
in Biology & Nature
Using a high-resolution single-molecule study technique, researchers have seen the very subtle differences between two branches of an important family of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. In cation-selective channels, basic amino acid residues lining the channel seem to be tucked into the protein structure and remain neutral rather than positively charged.