TY - JOUR
T1 - Channels in microbes
T2 - So many holes to fill
AU - Kung, Ching
AU - Blount, Paul
PY - 2004/7
Y1 - 2004/7
N2 - Among players in neurobiology, ion channels are the demigods that underlie all our senses, behaviour and intelligence. In animals, these 'gated pores' detect ligands, voltage, heat or stretch forces and emit electric or ionic signals. Patch clamp and genome sequencing now show that nearly all microbes also have these 'smart' molecules. Microbial channel proteins have yielded crystal structures so dear to neuroscientisis. However, their natural roles in microbial physiology remain largely unknown. The intellectual and technical schisms between 'neuro' and 'micro' biology must be bridged before we know how we became so smart, and whether microbes are just as smart.
AB - Among players in neurobiology, ion channels are the demigods that underlie all our senses, behaviour and intelligence. In animals, these 'gated pores' detect ligands, voltage, heat or stretch forces and emit electric or ionic signals. Patch clamp and genome sequencing now show that nearly all microbes also have these 'smart' molecules. Microbial channel proteins have yielded crystal structures so dear to neuroscientisis. However, their natural roles in microbial physiology remain largely unknown. The intellectual and technical schisms between 'neuro' and 'micro' biology must be bridged before we know how we became so smart, and whether microbes are just as smart.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04180.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04180.x
M3 - Short survey
C2 - 15228520
AN - SCOPUS:3242887060
SN - 0950-382X
VL - 53
SP - 373
EP - 380
JO - Molecular Microbiology
JF - Molecular Microbiology
IS - 2
ER -