Abstract
These two animations show two models for how neurosteroids regulate the flow of chloride ions (Cl-) through ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. In the first model, binding of the neurosteroid allows a protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation site to become accessible. Phosphorylation of the channel increases flux through the channel. In the second model, phosphorylation by PKC allows the neurosteroid to bind and increase flux through the channel. The animations have two parts: (i) a diagrammatic representation of the sequence of events at the channel in the membrane and (ii) a representative current trace of data obtained using electrophysiological techniques. These animations would be useful in teaching how allosteric modulators (neurosteroids) and covalent modulators (kinases) can work together as regulators of protein activity.
