PROSITE documentation PDOC01030Large-conductance mechanosensitive channels mscL family signature
Mechanosensitive ion channels play a critical role in transducing physical stresses at the cell membrane into an electrochemical response. Prokaryotes harbor a large-conductance mechanosensitive channel (gene mscL) [1] which is opened by membrane stretch force and may participate in the regulation of osmotic pressure changes within the cell.
MscL is a protein of about 15 kD. It forms a channel organized as a homopentamer [2], with each subunit containing two transmembrane regions.
As a signature pattern, we selected the best conserved region. It is located in the N-terminal region. It starts three residues before the beginning of the first transmembrane domain and ends in the middle of that domain.
Last update:April 2006 / Pattern revised.
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PROSITE method (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:
| 1 | Authors | Moe P.C. Blount P. Kung C. |
| Title | Functional and structural conservation in the mechanosensitive channel MscL implicates elements crucial for mechanosensation. | |
| Source | Mol. Microbiol. 28:583-592(1998). | |
| PubMed ID | 9632260 |
| 2 | Authors | Chang G. Spencer R.H. Lee A.T. Barclay M.T. Rees D.C. |
| Title | Structure of the MscL homolog from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a gated mechanosensitive ion channel. | |
| Source | Science 282:2220-2226(1998). | |
| PubMed ID | 9856938 |
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