MscL | Large Conductance Mechanosensitive Channel
Family:
Bacterial mechanosensitive channels, large conductance mechanosensitive channel
Topology:
MscL is encoded by trkA. The protein contains two transmembrane helixes (M1 and M2). The channel is a homopentamer of the protein.
Regulation and Function:
MscL is responsible for translating physical forces applied to cell membranes into electrophysiological activities. MscL has a relatively large conductance, 3 nS, making it permeable to ions, water, and small proteins when opened.
Data and Applications
MscL - Pressure Clamp Experiments
Port-a-Patch and 
Vesicle Prep Pro data and applications:
The Port-a-Patch and the Suction Control Pro was used to study the effect of pressure on functional MscL protein reconstituted in GUVs. Using symmetrical KCl solutions, MscL gating was observed at -30 mBar and -60 mBar (holding potential + 30 mV), shown as outward currents in the data traces.
MscL - Pressure Activation
Vesicle Prep Pro data and applications:
Data were kindly supplied by Prof. Boris Martinac, University of QLD, Brisbane, Australia.
Pressure activation of MscL. The MscL channel is gated by pressure, where single channel activity was recorded at 30 mV at the indicated negative hydrostatic pressure. Nanion provides a dedicated suction control device for pressure clamp, found under the Port-a-Patch section.
Application Notes
MscL - "Lipid bilayer recordings of a mechanosensitive channel, MscL, using Nanion’s pressure clampchannel, MscL, using Nanion’s pressure clamp"
Port-a-Patch and 
Vesicle Prep Pro application note 
(0.3 MB)
Publications
2014 - Studying mechanosensitive ion channels with an automated patch clamp
Port-a-Patch and Vesicle Prep Pro publication in European Biophysics Journal (2014)
Authors:
Barthmes M., Mac Donald F.J., Birkner J.P., Brüggemann A., Wahl-Schott C., Koçer A.
2012 - Hydrophobic gating of mechanosensitive channel of large conductance evidenced by single-subunit resolution
Vesicle Prep Pro publication in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2012)
Authors:
Birkner JP, Poolman B, Koçer A.
2011 - Bacterial mechanosensitive channels as a paradigm for mechanosensory transduction
Port-a-Patch publication in Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry (2011)
Authors:
Martinac B.
2010 - Studying mechanosensitive ion channels using liposomes
Port-a-Patch and Vesicle Prep Pro publication in Methods in Molecular Biology (2010)
Authors:
Martinac B., Rohde P.R., Battle A. R., Petrov E., Pal P, Alexander Foo A.FW, Vásquez V., Huynh T. and Kloda A.