Innexin-3 forms connexin-like intercellular channels

Citation
Y. Landesman et al., Innexin-3 forms connexin-like intercellular channels, J CELL SCI, 112(14), 1999, pp. 2391-2396
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Cell & Developmental Biology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
ISSN journal
00219533 → ACNP
Volume
112
Issue
14
Year of publication
1999
Pages
2391 - 2396
Database
ISI
SICI code
0021-9533(199907)112:14<2391:IFCIC>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Innexins comprise a large family of genes that are believed to encode inver tebrate gap junction channel-forming proteins. However, only two Drosophila innexins have been directly tested for the ability to form intercellular c hannels and only one of those was active. Here we tested the ability of Cae norhabditis elegans family members INX-3 and EAT-5 to form intercellular ch annels between paired Xenopus oocytes. We show that expression of INX-3 but not EAT-5, induces electrical coupling between the oocyte pairs. In additi on, analysis of INX-3 voltage and pH gating reveals a striking degree of co nservation in the functional properties of connexin and innnexin channels, These data strongly support the idea that innexin genes encode intercellula r channels.