The voltage-dependent anion channel as a biological transistor: theoretical considerations

Eur Biophys J. 2004 Jul;33(4):352-9. doi: 10.1007/s00249-003-0362-3. Epub 2003 Oct 23.

Abstract

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is a porin of the mitochondrial outer membrane with a bell-shaped permeability-voltage characteristic. This porin restricts the flow of negatively charged metabolites at certain non-zero voltages, and thus might regulate their flux across the mitochondrial outer membrane. Here, we have developed a mathematical model illustrating the possibility of interaction between two steady-state fluxes of negatively charged metabolites circulating across the VDAC in a membrane. The fluxes interact by contributing to generation of the membrane electrical potential with subsequent closure of the VDAC. The model predicts that the VDAC might function as a single-molecule biological transistor and amplifier, because according to the obtained calculations a small change in the flux of one pair of different negatively charged metabolites causes a significant modulation of a more powerful flux of another pair of negatively charged metabolites circulating across the same membrane with the VDAC. Such transistor-like behavior of the VDAC in the mitochondrial outer membrane might be an important principle of the cell energy metabolism regulation under some physiological conditions.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane / physiology*
  • Chlorine / metabolism
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Ion Channel Gating / physiology*
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology*
  • Mitochondria / physiology*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Porins / physiology*
  • Potassium / metabolism
  • Transistors, Electronic*
  • Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels

Substances

  • Porins
  • Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels
  • Chlorine
  • Potassium