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Multi-ion conduction bands in a simple model of calcium ion channels

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
Article number026007
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>04/2013
<mark>Journal</mark>Physical Biology
Issue number2
Volume10
Number of pages8
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

We report self-consistent Brownian dynamics simulations of a simple electrostatic model of the selectivity filters (SF) of calcium ion channels. They reveal regular structure in the conductance and selectivity as functions of the fixed negative charge Q(f) at the SF. With increasing Q(f), there are distinct regions of high conductance (conduction bands) M0, M1, M2 separated by regions of almost zero-conductance (stop-bands). Two of these conduction bands, M1 and M2, are related to the saturated calcium occupancies of P = 1 and P = 2, respectively and demonstrate self-sustained conductivity. Despite the model's limitations, its M1 and M2 bands show high calcium selectivity and prominent anomalous mole fraction effects and can be identified with the L-type and RyR calcium channels. The non-selective band M0 can be identified with a non-selective cation channel, or with OmpF porin.