Issues
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
ON THE COVER
Top view of a pentameric α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Each N-terminal helix (red) is tightly anchored to a hydrophobic surface crevice and points in a clockwise orientation. The fixed orientation of the helixes along with carefully optimised amino acid linkers, connecting the C terminus of one subunit with the N terminus of the neighboring subunit, offers an opportunity to control the subunit assembly process and thereby receptor stoichiometry. Image provided by Ahring et al. See page 453. - PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
- PDF Icon PDF LinkEditorial Board
Research News
Another way of seeing things
JGP study explores a novel photoreception pathway in a marine mollusk.
Essay
Influences: Life lessons from Anita Zimmerman
JGP’s Editor-in-Chief describes the powerful influence of her PhD supervisor.
Commentary
Improving the characterization of calcium channel gating pore currents with Stac3
Chahine highlights new work that exploits the increased expression of human CaV1.1 at the plasma membrane after coexpression with Stac3.
Otopetrin-1: A sour-tasting proton channel
Ramsey and DeSimone highlight the recent discovery of a new family of proton channels.
Milestone in Physiology
The discovery of the ability of rod photoreceptors to signal single photons
A retrospective on the scientific importance and impact of Hecht, Shlaer, and Pirenne’s classic 1942 paper, “Energy, Quanta, and Vision.”
The founding of Journal of General Physiology: Membrane permeation and ion selectivity
Hille recounts the founding years of JGP, including key articles that advanced the field of membrane permeation and ion selectivity.
Article
Molecular and functional identification of a novel photopigment in Pecten ciliary photoreceptors
The mollusk Pecten irradians possesses ciliary photoreceptors that operate with an atypical mechanism. Arenas et al. reveal that a recently uncovered opsin type is the functional visual pigment in these photoreceptors and couples to Go, in contrast to other types of photoreceptor.
Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations reveal lipid access pathways in P-glycoprotein
P-glycoprotein contributes to multidrug resistance by exporting a broad range of substrates across the cell membrane. Using molecular dynamics simulations, Barreto-Ojeda et al. identify key lipid-binding sites and reveal lipid access pathways toward the cavity of the transporter.
A kinetic account for amphetamine-induced monoamine release
This study on serotonin transporters shows that amphetamine-induced monoamine release requires cooperative substrate and cosubstrate binding. A kinetic model is presented that can account qualitatively and quantitatively for the releasing action of amphetamines.
Concatenated nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: A gift or a curse?
Nicotine acetylcholine receptors can form countless heteromeric stoichiometries from a common set of subunits. Ahring et al. present the limitations of subunit concatenation and establish a refinement that achieves substantiated expression of uniform receptor pools from complex stoichiometric origins.
Stac3 enhances expression of human CaV1.1 in Xenopus oocytes and reveals gating pore currents in HypoPP mutant channels
Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) is thought to be caused by an aberrant inward current through the voltage sensors of mutant Na+ or Ca2+ channels. Wu et al. use Stac3 to enhance the membrane expression of two HypoPP CaV1.1 mutants in oocytes and find that both support gating pore currents.
Communication
Protein phosphorylation maintains the normal function of cloned human Cav2.3 channels
Cav2.3 Ca2+ channels are subject to cytosolic regulation, which has been difficult to characterize in native cells. Neumaier et al. demonstrate the role of phosphorylation in the function of these channels and suggest a close relationship between voltage dependence and the phosphorylation state.
Email alerts
Advertisement