Mechanosensitive ion channels: Old but new

Abstract

Ion channels orchestrate the communication between cells and their environment. These are special proteins capable of changing their shape to allow ions to pass through membranes in response to stimuli like membrane tension. As the letters are written and exchanged in the form of ionic currents, the energetic cost of this communication is of interest to many. To this end, we introduce the nanoscale thermodynamics of mechanosensitive ion channels, which amounts to defining work and heat for traces obtained during patch-clamp experiments. We also discuss the interplay between ion channel physics and evolution by showing how information-processing capabilities are coupled with the energy landscapes of channels.