Relating the binding of single ligands to activation in single HCN and CNG channels (A05)

• Subject Area: Biophysics ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2015 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 258780946

The interactions of single labeled cGMP and cAMP molecules will be studied in CNGA2 and HCN2 ion channels. To achieve this at high nanomolar concentrations, the channels will be studied in either supported native membranes placed in an evanescent field or in excised membrane patches positioned at the tip of patch pipettes with sub-diffraction dimensions to record single-channel currents in parallel. To optimize these methods novel cGMP and cAMP derivatives will be designed in silico, synthesized and characterized. The observations will be analyzed in terms of hidden Markov models to refine our understanding of the channel dynamics.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 166: High-end light microscopy elucidates membrane receptor function - ReceptorLight
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Klaus Benndorf; Dr. Ralf Schmauder