Coupled K+-water flux through the HERG potassium channel measured by an osmotic pulse method

The streaming potential (V stream) is a signature feature of ion channels in which permeating ions and water molecules move in a single file. V stream provides a quantitative measure of the ion and water flux (the water-ion coupling ratio), the knowledge of which is a prerequisite for elucidating the mechanisms of ion permeation. We have developed a method to measure V stream with the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration. A HEK293 cell stably expressing the HERG potassium channel was voltage clamped and exposed to hyperosmotic solutions for short periods of time (< 1 s) by an ultrafast solution switching system (the osmotic pulse [quick jump-and-away] method). The reversal potentials were monitored by a series of voltage ramps before, during, and after the osmotic pulse. The shifts of the reversal potentials immediately after the osmotic jump gave V stream. In symmetrical K+ solutions (10 mM), the V(stream)s measured at different osmolalities showed a linear relationship with a slope of -0.7 mV/Delta Osm, from which the water-ion coupling ratio (n, the ratio of the flux of water to the flux of cations; Levitt, D. G., S. R. Elias, and J. M. Hautman. 1978. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 512: 436-451) was calculated to be 1.4. In symmetrical 100 mM K+ solutions, the coupling ratio was decreased significantly (n = 0.9), indicating that the permeation process through states with increased ion occupancy became significant. We presented a diagrammatic representation linking the water-ion coupling ratio to the mode of ion permeation and suggested that the coupling ratio of one may represent the least hydrated ion flux in the single-file pore.