The Vision of the Pore

Proteins that reside within membranes have been notoriously hard to crystallize, and so we have few detailed views of their structure. In this issue, the laboratory of MacKinnon ([ Doyle et al ][1]. and [ MacKinnon et al ][2].) now present the x-ray crystal structure of a potassium channel from the bacteria Streptomyces lividans . In his commentary, Armstrong explains the exciting features of the structure and the importance of this protein for electrical signaling in the nervous system. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/280/5360/69 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/280/5360/106