The activity of the Acid sensing ion channel 1, ASIC1, can be modulated by the gating modifier Psalmotoxin 1 but the molecular mechanism is unclear. Dawsonet al. report the structure of chicken ASIC1 bound to Psalmotoxin 1 and find that the toxin locks two regulatory regions of the channel into a desensitized conformation.
- Roger J.P. Dawson
- Jörg Benz
- Armin Ruf