Principles of sensor-effector organization in six-transmembrane ion channels

Receptor proteins sense stimuli and generate downstream signals via sensor and effector domains. Presently, the structural constraints on sensor-effector organization across receptor protein superfamilies are not clear. Here, we perform statistical coupling analysis (SCA) on the transient receptor potential (TRP) and voltage-gated potassium (Kv) ion channel superfamilies to characterize the networks of coevolving residues, or protein sectors, that mediate their receptor functions. Comparisons to structural and functional studies reveal a conserved "core" sector that extends from the pore and mediates effector functions, including pore gating and sensor-pore coupling, while sensors correspond to family-specific "accessory" sectors and localize according to three principles: Sensors (1) may emerge in any region with access to the core, (2) must maintain contact with the core, and (3) must preserve the integrity of the core. This sensor-core architecture may represent a conserved and generalizable paradigm for the structure-function relationships underlying the evolution of receptor proteins.