Ion Channels

Ion channels are pore-forming membrane proteins whose functions include establishing a resting membrane potential, shaping action potentials and other electrical signals by gating the flow of ions across the cell membrane, controlling the flow of ions across secretory and epithelial cells, and regulating cell volume. However, Ion-channels are extremely difficult to study at a structural level in situ. High ion flux also demands a technique with high temporal resolution as well as structural sensitivity. 2D-IR is an ultrafast experimental probe of ion channels as it can determine the correlation between vibrational modes in a molecule, providing structural snapshots femtosecond/picosecond resolution of the system. Combining spectral calculations based on MD simulations with experimental 2D IR spectra allows the features in the experimental data to be interpreted in terms of residue specific conformational changes upon ion binding. We want to use 2D-IR for the mechanistic studies of ion channels like Gramicidin A, aquaporin, etc.