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Changes in local S4 environment provide a voltage-sensing mechanism for mammalian hyperpolarization--activated HCN channels.

From: The Journal of General Psychology  |  Date: 1/1/2004  |  Author: Bell, Damian C.; Riley, John H.; Saenger, Renee C.; Siegelbaum, Steven A.; Yao, Huan

The positively charged S4 transmembrane segment of voltage-gated channels is thought to function as the voltage sensor by moving charge through the membrane electric field in response to depolarization. Here we studied S4 movements in the mammalian HCN pacemaker channels. Unlike most voltage-gated channel family members that are activated by depolarization, HCN channels are activated by hyperpolarization. We determined the reactivity of the charged sulfhydryl-modifying reagent, MTSET, with ...

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