A research article by the Pliotas group has been recently published in the Biophysical Journal. In the study entitled “In-Lipid Structure of Pressure-Sensitive Domains Hints Mechanosensitive Channel Functional Diversity” we perfomed PELDOR (or DEER) distance and ESEEM solvent accessibility measurements on the mechanosensitive channel MscL within lipid nanodiscs. We identified substantial structural differences within the nano-pocket domains of the M tuberculosis and E coli MscL channels, which may account for their reported functional differences and in particular the large disrepancy in the pressure activation threshold.
