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Interaction of syntaxin with a single Kv1.1 channel: a possible mechanism for modulating neuronal excitability

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Abstract

Voltage-gated K+ channels are crucial for intrinsic neuronal plasticity and present a target for modulations by protein–protein interactions, notably, by exocytotic proteins demonstrated by us in several systems. Here, we investigated the interaction of a single Kv1.1 channel with syntaxin 1A. Syntaxin decreased the unitary conductance of all conductance states (two subconductances and a full conductance) and decreased their open probabilities by prolongation of mean closed dwell-times at depolarized potentials. However, at subthreshold potentials syntaxin 1A increased the probabilities of the subconductance states. Consequently, the macroscopic conductance is decreased at potentials above threshold and increased at threshold potentials. Numerical modeling based on steady-state and kinetic analyses suggests: (1) a mechanism whereby syntaxin controls activation gating by forcing the conductance pathway only via a sequence of discrete steps through the subconductance states, possibly via a breakdown of cooperative movements of voltage sensors that exist in Kv1.1; (2) a physiological effect, apparently paradoxical for an agent that reduces K+ current, of attenuating neuronal firing frequency via an increase in K+ shunting conductance. Such modulation of the gain of neuronal output in response to different levels of syntaxin is in accord with the suggested role for Kv1.1 in axonal excitability and synaptic efficacy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Israel Academy of Sciences (I.L.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Ramat-Aviv, Israel

    Izhak Michaelevski & Ilana Lotan

  2. Faculty of Life Sciences and the Leslie and Susan Gonda Interdisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel

    Alon Korngreen

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  1. Izhak Michaelevski
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  2. Alon Korngreen
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Correspondence to Ilana Lotan.

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Supplementary information

(31 kb)

Supplementary Table 1

Kinetic parameters of the closed time distribution of Kv1.1 alone (24 kb)

Supplementary Table 2

Kinetic parameters of the closed time distribution of Kv1.1 in the presence of syx (27 kb)

Supplementary Figure 1

Po analysis of the S1 conductance level in Kv1.1 (a) versus Kv1.1+syx (b) in representative patches. Left panels: Po histograms for each sweep (linear leak and capacity currents were subtracted to obtain Po values from the event lists); Right panels: Po distribution histograms (empty sweeps were excluded) (JPEG 77 281 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 130 604 kb)

Supplementary Figure 2

Po analysis of the S2 conductance level in Kv1.1 (a) versus Kv1.1+syx (b) representative patches, as in Supplementary Fig. 1 (JPEG 79 362 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 137 030 kb)

Supplementary Figure 3

Po analysis of the F conductance level in Kv1.1 (a) versus Kv1.1+syx (b) in representative patches, as in Supplementary Fig. 1 (JPEG 79 899 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 141 572 kb)

Supplementary Figure 4

a,b. Analysis of Po values summarized over all conductance states (∑Po) . Left panels: Po histograms for each sweep (Linear leak and capacity currents were subtracted to obtain Po values from the event lists); Right panels: Po distribution histograms (empty sweeps were excluded) (JPEG 81 982 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 149 950 kb)

Supplementary Figure 5

Open time distribution histograms for Kv1.1 (a) and Kv1.1+syx (b) patches. Dwell times were presented with logarithmic histograms using a variable binning approach (4–8 bins/decade depending on the particular dwell time distribution). Ordinate axes presenting event numbers per bin transformed to square root distribution. The histograms were fitted with multi-exponential log probability function (see Materials and Methods). The obtained pdf (probability density function, see Materials and Methods) was introduced over the distribution histogram. Derived parameters are shown in Fig. 5 in the main text (JPEG 87 411 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 145 452 kb)

Supplementary Figure 6

Kinetic parameters derived from open time distributions. A,B. Voltage dependence of the open dwell-time constants (τ) (derived from the corresponding logarithmic distribution histograms) (a) and of the dwell time constants probabilities (p; see main text) (b), for each conductance level (S1, S2 or F, as denoted) (JPEG 53 055 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 10 600 kb)

Supplementary Figure 7

Closed dwell time distributions in Kv1.1 and Kv1.1+syx groups. A,B. Logarithmic distribution histograms at the denoted potentials for Kv1.1 and Kv1.1+syx, respectively, with 5-8 bins/decade. Fitting as in Supplementary Fig. 5. Derived kinetic parameters are summarized in Supplementary Tables 1 and 2 (JPEG 55 842 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 128 986 kb)

Supplementary Figure 8

The reconstituted Po values (see equ. 10 in the main text) at all voltages concur with the corresponding values obtained by the event list analysis (Fig. 3D in the main text) for both Kv1.1 and Kv1.1+syx groups (JPEG 24 035 kb)

High resolution image file (TIFF 5 666 kb)

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Michaelevski, I., Korngreen, A. & Lotan, I. Interaction of syntaxin with a single Kv1.1 channel: a possible mechanism for modulating neuronal excitability. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 454, 477–494 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-007-0223-5

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