Internal friction as possible key factor governing the thermosensitivity of TRP channels
A. O. Okenov, B. I. Iaparov, A. S. Moskvin
Ural Federal University, 620083 Ekaterinburg, Russia
Abstract
Six thermo-activated transient receptor potential (TRP)
channels are the molecular basis of the thermosensation for mammals. But
the molecular source of their gating remains unknown. In the Letter, we
suggest a physically based model for the TRP channels and show that the
temperature dependence of the "internal friction" can be a key factor
governing the ion channels gating. Results of the computer modeling
allowed us to successfully reproduce the experimental data for the open
probability Popen of the TRPV1 and TRPM8 channels at different
temperatures and voltages.