Structure and Function Analysis of Ion Channels

Ion channels are a class of proteins that regulate the flow of calcium, sodium, or potassium ions across the cell membrane. Controlling the flow of these ions is critical to maintaining the normal function of the body. When a disease strikes, malfunctions of ion channels or the processes they depend on are often involved as either a cause or a consequence of the illness. An in-depth analysis of the three-dimensional structure and function of ion channels is required to understand the physiological and pathophysiological functions of ion channels, which is of great significance for elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of various diseases and developing novel therapeutic methods.

With the invention of patch-clamp electrophysiology, it became possible to study the functional diversity and mechanism of these proteins with unprecedented accuracy, which has accelerated the study of ion conduction and selectivity, as well as the allosteric regulation of ion channels. Recently, major advances in structural biology, including the development of techniques such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), have made it possible to understand the exact three-dimensional structure of ion channels in different states in order to design and develop state-specific drugs.

Fig. 1 General workflow for structure-function studies. (Schmidpeter, 2021)

Our Services

Creative Bioarray is committed to providing clients with a wide range of ion channel structure and function analysis services using biochemical, molecular, electrophysiological, and structural biology technologies to provide detailed information on the structure, biophysics, physiology, and pharmacology of specific ion channel subfamilies. Our analytical services cover various ion channel subfamilies, including voltage-gated, ligand-gated, and multimodal-gated ion channels. Our services include, but are not limited to:

• Analysis of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels
  We help clients identify the structural elements required for voltage-dependent activation, selective ionic conductivity, and deactivation, as well as functional analysis to explore their mechanism of action.
• Analysis of Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
  We focus on the development of various techniques such as X-ray crystallography, site-specific mutagenesis, and patch-clamp electrophysiology to help clients gain new insights into the structure and function of ligand-gated ion channels.
• Analysis of Multimodal-Gated Ion Channels
  We provide clients with professional and detailed structural and functional characterization services of multimodal-gated ion channels, including TRP Channels, connexins and pannexins.
• Analysis of Mechanically Activated Ion Channels
  We provide clients with analytical services for mechanically activated ion channels (MACs).
• Assessment of Ion Channel Oligomerization
  We help clients determine information about ion channel function, including oligomerization, conformation, and lipid effects on their regulation.
• Functional Reconstitution of Ion Channels
  We provide clients with the functional reconstitution of ion channels through multiple technologies, such as planar lipid bilayer (PLB) technology and nanodisc technology.
• Control of Ion Channel Trafficking
  We have developed engineered proteins to help clients achieve control of ion channel trafficking and selective post-translational down-regulation or up-regulation of desired ion channels.
• Analysis of Inter-Domain Interactions In Ion Channels
  We provide clients with a detailed analysis of inter-domain interactions in ion channels through various technologies, such as cysteine-based cross-linking methods.
• Interaction Analysis of Ion Channels and Other Proteins
  We provide clients with analytical services for ion channel macromolecular interactions to help them deduce multiple interactions within the same cell and quantify changes in binding due to cell signaling.

Advantages

• A scientific team of passionate scientists from diverse life science backgrounds
• A perfect service package for a wide range of project types and scientific questions in the field of ion channels
• Clear cost-structure and fast turn-around times

Creative Bioarray is one of the world's leading service providers for structural and functional analysis of ion channels. We have established long-term relationships with a number of pharmaceutical companies and top universities and accumulated many successful experiences in providing ion channel analysis services. If you are interested in our services, please contact us for more details.

Reference

1. Schmidpeter, P. A. M.; Nimigean, C. M. Correlating ion channel structure and function//Methods in Enzymology. Academic Press, 2021, 652: 3-30.