White T W, Bruzzone R
Department de Morphologie, Université de Genève, Switzerland.
J Bioenerg Biomembr. 1996 Aug;28(4):339-50. doi: 10.1007/BF02110110.
In vertebrates, the protein subunits of intercellular channels found in gap junctions are encoded by a family of genes called connexins. These channels span two plasma membranes and result from the association of two half channels, or connexons, which are hexameric assemblies of connexins. Physiological analysis of channel formation and gating has revealed unique patterns of connexin-connexin interaction, and uncovered novel functional characteristics of channels containing more than one type of connexin protein. Structure-function studies have further demonstrated that unique domains within connexins participate in the regulation of different functional properties of intercellular channels. Thus, gap junctional channels can contain more than one connexin, and this structural heterogeneity has functional consequences in vitro. Moreover, emerging evidence for the existence of intercellular channels containing multiple connexins in native tissues suggests that the functional diversity generated by connexin-connexin interaction could contribute to complex communication patterns that have been observed in vivo.
在脊椎动物中，间隙连接中发现的细胞间通道的蛋白质亚基由一个名为连接蛋白的基因家族编码。这些通道跨越两个质膜，由两个半通道（即连接子）结合而成，连接子是连接蛋白的六聚体组装体。对通道形成和门控的生理学分析揭示了连接蛋白与连接蛋白相互作用的独特模式，并发现了包含不止一种连接蛋白的通道的新功能特性。结构 - 功能研究进一步表明，连接蛋白内的独特结构域参与细胞间通道不同功能特性的调节。因此，间隙连接通道可以包含不止一种连接蛋白，这种结构异质性在体外具有功能后果。此外，在天然组织中存在包含多种连接蛋白的细胞间通道的新证据表明，连接蛋白与连接蛋白相互作用产生的功能多样性可能有助于体内观察到的复杂通讯模式。
