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XB-ART-57998
Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 02;225:. doi: 10.3390/ijms22052500.
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Enhanced Shear Force Responsiveness of Epithelial Na+ Channel's (ENaC) δ Subunit Following the Insertion of N-Glycosylation Motifs Relies on the Extracellular Matrix.

Barth D , Knoepp F , Fronius M .


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Members of the Degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) protein family and the extracellular cell matrix (ECM) form a mechanosensitive complex. A core feature of this complex are tethers, which connect the channel with the ECM, however, knowledge about the nature of these tethers is scarce. N-glycans of α ENaC were recently identified as potential tethers but whether N-glycans serve as a ubiquitous feature for mechanosensation processes remains unresolved. The purpose of this study was to reveal whether the addition of N-glycans to δ ENaC-which is less responsive to shear force (SF)-increases its SF-responsiveness and whether this relies on a linkage to the ECM. Therefore, N-glycosylation motifs were introduced via site-directed mutagenesis, the resulting proteins expressed with β and γ ENaC in Xenopus oocytes, and SF-activated currents measured by two-electrode voltage-clamp. The insertion of N-glycosylation motifs increases δ ENaC's SF responsiveness. The inclusion of a glycosylated asparagine (N) at position 487 did increase the molecular mass and provided a channel whose SF response was abolished following ECM degradation via hyaluronidase. This indicates that the addition of N-glycans improves SF-responsiveness and that this effect relies on an intact ECM. These findings further support the role of N-glycans as tethers for mechanotransduction.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis
GO keywords: sodium channel activity [+]

References [+] :
Abi-Antoun, Second transmembrane domain modulates epithelial sodium channel gating in response to shear stress. 2011, Pubmed, Xenbase