Invited Lecture
Balls and Chains, Rods, Levers and Gates: Perspectives on The Role of Voltage-Dependent Ion Channel Intracellular Domains

My research group has been studying voltage-dependent calcium and potassium channels for several years, utilizing Ca_V1, Ca_V2 and Kv7 channel families as paradigms. More specifically, we have elaborated the 3D structure and function of some of their intracellular domains and bound soluble channel subunits, including CaVβ and calmodulin. In this talk, I will summarize some of our findings, using concrete examples to try and synthesize common structural principles and mechanisms that enable regulation of channel gating and inactivation.