Figure 1: X-ray structures of wild-type and ethanol-sensitized GLIC.
From: Structural basis for potentiation by alcohols and anaesthetics in a ligand-gated ion channel
(a) Wild-type GLIC (PDB ID 4HFI), coloured by residue B-factor according to scale at bottom. For clarity, proximal two subunits are hidden, revealing distal three subunits surrounding channel pore. Lower panel shows inter-subunit transmembrane cavity (light grey surface) formed by the extracellular portions of M1–M2 from one subunit and M2–M3 from the neighbouring subunit, and occluded on one end by the F14′ side chain (dark grey spheres). (b) Ethanol-sensitized GLIC variant (F14′A) (PDB ID 4HFB), depicted as in a. Lower panel shows expanded inter-subunit cavity containing resolved water (red sphere). (c) GLIC F14′A mutant co-crystallized with ethanol (PDB ID 4HFE), depicted as in a. Lower panel shows inter-subunit cavity containing ethanol (orange and red spheres).
