The amino terminus of gap junction proteins, connexins, plays a fundamental role in voltage gating and ion permeation. We have previously shown with 1H NMR that the structure of the N-terminus of a representative connexin molecule contains a flexible turn around glycine 12 (Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 381:181,2000) allowing the N-terminus to reside at the cytoplasmic entry of the channel forming a voltage sensor. Previous functional studies or neuropathies have shown that the mutation G12Y and G12S form nonfunctional channels while functional channels are formed from G12P. Using 2D 1H NMR we show that similar to G12, the structure of the G12P mutant contains a more flexible turn around residue 12, whereas the G12S and G12Y mutants contain tighter, helical turns in this region. These results suggest an unconstrained turn is required around residue 12 to position the N-terminus within the pore allowing the formation of the cytoplasmic channel vestibule, which appears to be critical for proper channel function.

The amino terminus of gap junction proteins, connexins, plays a fundamental role in voltage gating and ion permeation. We have previously shown with 1H NMR that the structure of the N-terminus of functional connexin molecules contains a flexible turn around G12 (Arch. Biochem. Biophys.490:9,2009) allowing the N-terminus to form a portion of the channel pore near the cytoplasmic entrance. The mutants of nonfunctional connexin molecules G12S and G12Y were found to prevent this turn. Previous functional studies of loci at which Cx32 mutations cause a peripheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, have shown that G12S is not plasma membrane inserted. Presently, we solve the structure of nonfunctional Connexin 32 mutants W3D and Y7D which do not appear to be membrane inserted. Using 2D 1H NMR, we report that similar to G12S and G12Y, alterations in hydrophobic sidechain interactions disrupt (Y7D) or constrain (W3D) the flexible turn around G12. The alteration in the open turn around residue 12, observed in all nonfunctional mutants G12S, G12Y, W3D and Y7D correlates with loss of function. We propose that loss of the open turn causes the N-terminus to extend out of the channel pore and this misfolding may target mutants for destruction in the endoplasmic reticulum.