Download MendeleyStructure of the human K 2P 13.1 channel reveals a hydrophilic pore restriction and lipid cofactor site.
Roy-Chowdhury, S., Jang, S., Abderemane-Ali, F., Naughton, F., Grabe, M., Minor Jr., D.L.(2025) Nat Struct Mol Biol 32: 1154-1166
- PubMed: 40011746
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-024-01476-3
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
9BSN, 9BWS, 9BYI, 9C07, 9C09 - PubMed Abstract:
Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) lipids modulate the neuronal and microglial leak potassium channel K 2P 13.1 (THIK1) and other voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC) superfamily members through poorly understood mechanisms. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of human THIK1 and mutants, revealing a unique two-chamber aqueous inner cavity obstructed by a hydrophilic barrier important for gating, the flow restrictor, and a P1-M4 intersubunit interface lipid at a site, the PUFA site, corresponding to the K 2P small-molecule modulator pocket. This overlap, together with functional studies, indicates that PUFA site lipids are THIK1 cofactors. Comparison with a PUFA-responsive VGIC, K v 7.1, reveals a shared modulatory role for the pore domain intersubunit interface, providing a framework for understanding PUFA action on the VGIC superfamily. Our findings reveal the distinct THIK1 architecture, highlight the importance of the P1-M4 interface for K 2P control by natural and synthetic ligands and should aid in the development of THIK subfamily modulators for neuroinflammation and autism.
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Organizational Affiliation:
