The amino terminal domain plays an important role in transjunctional voltage-dependent gating kinetics of Cx45 gap junctions

Gap junction (GJ) channels formed by Cx45 exist in nodal cells in the heart where the action potential propagation is the slowest. The cellular mechanisms of slow propagation speed (or longer junctional delay) in nodal cells could be a combination of several factors, including lack of voltage-gated sodium channels, smaller cell size, and a lower GJ coupling conductance of Cx45. Compared to other cardiac GJs, Cx45 GJs possess not only the lowest unitary channel conductance, but also the highest extent and the fastest kinetics of the transjunctional voltage-dependent gating (V-j-gating) together with a slow recovery. These unique gating properties could make Cx45 GJs more vulnerable for dynamic uncoupling to a much lower coupling level, especially when junctional delay is lengthened and/or the heart rate is elevated. The molecular mechanisms determining the V-j-gating properties of Cx45 (a connexin belongs to gamma group) GJs have not been studied. Previous functional studies on the amino terminal (NT) domain chimeras or point variants of other connexins belong to alpha or beta group showed that their NT domains played an important role in determining their V-j-gating properties. The crystal and cryo-electron microscope structures of homologous connexin GJs showed that the NT domain lines the GJ pore, a position that could serve a role in V-j-sensing and gating. We hypothesize that the residues in the NT domain of Cx45 are important for its V-j-gating properties. Protein sequence alignment of human Cx45 NT domain with the connexins in the alpha and beta groups revealed that the second and the eighth residues in Cx45 are different from most of these connexins. We generated a total of 14 variants on these two residues and studied their ability to form functional GJs and their V-j-gating properties in model cells. Our results revealed an important role of these two residues on fast V-j-gating kinetics and formation of morphological and functional GJ channels. In contrast, no V-j-gating change was observed on a GFP tagged Cx45 at its carboxyl terminus.