Primary cilia are solitary, generally non-motile, hair-like protrusions that extend from the surface of cells between cell divisions. Their antenna-like structure leads naturally to the assumption that they sense the surrounding environment, the most common hypothesis being sensation of mechanical force through calcium-permeable ion channels within the cilium. This Ca(2+)-responsive mechanosensor hypothesis for primary cilia has been invoked to explain a large range of biological responses, from control of left-right axis determination in embryonic development to adult progression of polycystic kidney disease and some cancers. Here we report the complete lack of mechanically induced calcium increases in primary cilia, in tissues upon which this hypothesis has been based. We developed a transgenic mouse, Arl13b-mCherry-GECO1.2, expressing a ratiometric genetically encoded calcium indicator in all primary cilia. We then measured responses to flow in primary cilia of cultured kidney epithelial cells, kidney thick ascending tubules, crown cells of the embryonic node, kinocilia of inner ear hair cells, and several cell lines. Cilia-specific Ca(2+) influxes were not observed in physiological or even highly supraphysiological levels of fluid flow. We conclude that mechanosensation, if it originates in primary cilia, is not via calcium signalling.

IKACh is an inwardly rectifying potassium channel that plays an important role in the regulation of mammalian heart rate. IKACh is activated by direct interaction with Gbetagamma subunits of pertussis toxin-sensitive heterotrimeric G-proteins. The stoichiometry of the Gbetagamma/channel complex is currently unknown, and kinetic analysis of the channel behavior has led to conflicting conclusions. Here, we analyze the kinetics of the native IKACh channel in inside-out cardiomyocyte patches activated directly by Gbetagamma. We conclude that the channel has at least two open states and that binding of Gbetagamma prolongs its mean open time duration. These findings imply the existence of at least two binding sites on the channel complex for Gbetagamma. We also show that the duration of the channel opening is negatively correlated with the duration of subsequent channel closing, which further constrains the possible kinetic models. A simple qualitative model describing the kinetic behavior of IKACh is presented.

GIRK1 and CIR are G-protein activated inward rectifier K+ channel subunits that combine to form the heteromultimer IKACh, the G beta gamma-activated atrial K channel responsible for the vagal slowing of heart rate. Epitope-tagged channel subunits were constructed by the introduction of distinct six amino acid epitopes into the C-termini or putative extracellular domains of GIRK1 and CIR. Carboxyl-terminal tagged subunits were activated by purified G beta gamma subunits in inside-out patches when expressed in Cos cells. Interestingly, insertion of three amino acids into the putative extracellular domain of GIRK1 resulted in an inactive subunit that acted as a dominant negative subunit when coexpressed with wild type GIRK1 and CIR in Xenopus oocytes. The epitope-tagged CIR-AU1 subunit coimmunoprecipitated GIRK1-AU5 from metabolically labeled Cos cells. Immunofluorescence labeling of Cos cells localized GIRK1-AU5 to internal cytoskeletal structures that co-stained with antibodies against the intermediate filament protein, vimentin. CIR-AU1 localized primarily to the plasma membrane. Double immunofluorescence labeling showed that GIRK1-AU5 plasma membrane staining was detectable only when coexpressed with CIR-AU1.

Ion channels and PSD-95 are colocalized in specific neuronal subcellular locations by an unknown mechanism. To investigate mechanisms of localization, we used biolistic techniques to express GFP-tagged PSD-95 (PSD-95:GFP) and the K(+)-selective channel Kv1.4 in slices of rat cortex. In pyramidal cells, PSD-95:GFP required a single PDZ domain and a region including the SH3 domain for localization to postsynaptic sites. When transfected alone, PSD-95:GFP was present in dendrites but absent from axons. When cotransfected with Kv1.4, PSD-95:GFP appeared in both axons and dendrites, while Kv1.4 was restricted to axons. When domains that mediate the interaction of Kv1.4 and PSD-95 were disrupted, Kv1.4 localized nonspecifically. Our results provide evidence that Kv1.4 itself may determine its subcellular location, while an associated MAGUK protein is a necessary but not sufficient cofactor.

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) mediates communication between the cytoplasm and nucleus in eukaryotic cells. Active transport of large polypeptides as well as passive diffusion of smaller (approximately 10 kD) macromolecules through the NPC can be inhibited by depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores. However, the physiological relevance of this process for the regulation of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking is not yet clear. We expressed green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) to study the effect of Ca2+ store depletion on active transport in HM1 cells, a human embryonic kidney cell line stably transfected with the muscarinic M1 receptor. Dexamethasone-induced nuclear import of GR-GFP and anisomycin-induced nuclear export of GFP-MK2 was monitored by confocal microscopy. We found that store depletion by carbachol, thapsigargin or ionomycin had no effect on GR-GFP import, whereas pretreatment with 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N', N'-tetraacetic acid-acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM) attenuated import significantly. Export of GFP-MK2 was not influenced by any pretreatment. Moreover, carbachol stimulated GFP-MK2 translocation to the cytoplasm in the absence of anisomycin. These results demonstrate that Ca2+ store depletion in intact HM1 cells is not directly linked to the inhibition of active protein transport through the NPC. The inhibition of GR-GFP import but not GFP-MK2 export by BAPTA-AM presumably involves a depletion-independent mechanism that interferes with components of the nuclear import pathway.