The crystal structure of mouse VDAC1 at 2.3 A resolution reveals mechanistic insights into metabolite gating
Ujwal, R., Cascio, D., Colletier, J.P., Faham, S., Zhang, J., Toro, L., Ping, P., Abramson, J.(2008) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105: 17742-17747
- PubMed: 18988731 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0809634105
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
3EMN - PubMed Abstract: 
The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) constitutes the major pathway for the entry and exit of metabolites across the outer membrane of the mitochondria and can serve as a scaffold for molecules that modulate the organelle. We report the crystal structure of a beta-barrel eukaryotic membrane protein, the murine VDAC1 (mVDAC1) at 2.3 A resolution, revealing a high-resolution image of its architecture formed by 19 beta-strands. Unlike the recent NMR structure of human VDAC1, the position of the voltage-sensing N-terminal segment is clearly resolved. The alpha-helix of the N-terminal segment is oriented against the interior wall, causing a partial narrowing at the center of the pore. This segment is ideally positioned to regulate the conductance of ions and metabolites passing through the VDAC pore.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.