The Functional Potassium Channel TPC1 (IMAGE)

University of Würzburg

The Functional Potassium Channel TPC1

Caption

The functional potassium channel TPC1 consists of two identical subunits (left in the picture). Potassium ions (blue spheres) are guided through the canal pore when calcium ions that bind to the channel protein (green spheres) and changes in the electric field (flashes) actuate the voltage sensors (red cylinders). When the channel opens, an electrical signal (red current trace) is triggered and cells of the sample plant Arabidopsis thaliana depicted here exchange information.

Credit

Graphic: Dirk Becker

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