Hydrophobic pore gates regulate ion permeation in polycystic kidney disease 2 and 2L1 channels

Abstract

Mutations in the cation channel PKD2 cause human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease but its channel function and gating mechanism are poorly understood. Here authors study PKD2 using electrophysiology and cryo-EM, which identifies hydrophobic gates and proposes a gating mechanism for PKD2.