A recent study has revealed a molecular mechanism that helps explain how the pannexin-1 channel transports ATP, a key molecule in cell regulation. This discovery may help us to better understand how cells regulate their ATP levels and how diseases like cancer can disrupt this process. The findings of this study, published in the journal Nature Communications, could lead to new therapeutic strategies that target the pannexin-1 channel.

This study was led by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, who used a combination of functional and structural approaches to uncover the molecular mechanism of the pannexin-1 channel. They found that the channel is made up of subunits that are organized in a specific way to allow the passage of ATP. The researchers also discovered that the ATP is transported through a narrow pore, and the size and shape of this pore influences the rate of ATP transport. The findings of this study provide insight into how ATP is transported through the pannexin-1 channel, and could lead to new therapeutic options for diseases that involve ATP regulation.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org