Reveals the structure for maintaining pH balance in nearby atomic ‘maps’ cells

For the first time, scientists have visualized a new class of nuclear gates that maintain pH balance within brain cells, an important function that keeps cells alive and helps prevent strokes and other brain injuries.

These gates, known as proton activated chloride channels (PACs), regulate the passage of tiny molecules called chloride ions inside and outside the cell membrane. This allows the cells to understand and respond to their environment.

“Proton-activated chloride channels have only recently been described, but they are particularly critical for cell survival in the brain,” said Wei Lee, an assistant professor at the Wen Endel Institute and co-author of the study. Was released today in Nature. “Our new images, along with our findings on how these channels work, provide much-needed nuclear blueprints that will help answer long-running questions in the field and new information on how these channels can be therapeutically targeted in disease. Gives insight. “

The images display a wedding bouquet-like structure, with parts that alter the configuration in response to environmental pH. When the pH is shifted from alkaline to acidic, the key pH sensor moves beyond its “resting” position and is inserted into the “acidic pocket”, indicating that the door allowing ions and entry into the cell must be open. This special mechanism has never been described before.

The study is a collaboration between the Van Andel Institute’s Lab at Lab and a group led by Xhozu Qiu, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-author of the paper. The Johns Hopkins team first reported the discovery of the PAC Science Last year

Soling PAC structures is another important, preliminary step towards an understanding that could one day affect human health.