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Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Coste, B; Xiao, B; Santos, JS; Syeda, R; Grandl, J; Spencer, KS; Kim, SE; Schmidt, M; Mathur, J; Dubin, AE; Montal, M; Patapoutian, A
Published in: Nature
February 19, 2012

Mechanotransduction has an important role in physiology. Biological processes including sensing touch and sound waves require as-yet-unidentified cation channels that detect pressure. Mouse Piezo1 (MmPiezo1) and MmPiezo2 (also called Fam38a and Fam38b, respectively) induce mechanically activated cationic currents in cells; however, it is unknown whether Piezo proteins are pore-forming ion channels or modulate ion channels. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster Piezo (DmPiezo, also called CG8486) also induces mechanically activated currents in cells, but through channels with remarkably distinct pore properties including sensitivity to the pore blocker ruthenium red and single channel conductances. MmPiezo1 assembles as a ∼1.2-million-dalton homo-oligomer, with no evidence of other proteins in this complex. Purified MmPiezo1 reconstituted into asymmetric lipid bilayers and liposomes forms ruthenium-red-sensitive ion channels. These data demonstrate that Piezo proteins are an evolutionarily conserved ion channel family involved in mechanotransduction.

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Published In

Nature

DOI

EISSN

1476-4687

Publication Date

February 19, 2012

Volume

483

Issue

7388

Start / End Page

176 / 181

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Protein Subunits
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Porosity
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Ion Channels
  • Ion Channel Gating
 

Citation

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Coste, B., Xiao, B., Santos, J. S., Syeda, R., Grandl, J., Spencer, K. S., … Patapoutian, A. (2012). Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels. Nature, 483(7388), 176–181. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10812
Coste, Bertrand, Bailong Xiao, Jose S. Santos, Ruhma Syeda, Jörg Grandl, Kathryn S. Spencer, Sung Eun Kim, et al. “Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels.Nature 483, no. 7388 (February 2012): 176–81. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10812.
Coste B, Xiao B, Santos JS, Syeda R, Grandl J, Spencer KS, et al. Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels. Nature. 2012 Feb;483(7388):176–81.
Coste, Bertrand, et al. “Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels.Nature, vol. 483, no. 7388, Feb. 2012, pp. 176–81. Epmc, doi:10.1038/nature10812.
Coste B, Xiao B, Santos JS, Syeda R, Grandl J, Spencer KS, Kim SE, Schmidt M, Mathur J, Dubin AE, Montal M, Patapoutian A. Piezo proteins are pore-forming subunits of mechanically activated channels. Nature. 2012 Feb;483(7388):176–181.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nature

DOI

EISSN

1476-4687

Publication Date

February 19, 2012

Volume

483

Issue

7388

Start / End Page

176 / 181

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Protein Subunits
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Porosity
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Ion Channels
  • Ion Channel Gating