Voltage-gated proton channel in a dinoflagellate

What is it about?

In 1972, Woody Hastings became the first human being to propose the existence of voltage-gated proton channels. He postulated that they trigger the light flash produced by bioluminescent dinoflagellates. Here we describe the first proton channel gene from a dinoflagellate, and show that its properties (heterologously expressed) are precisely what is required for this function. Most notably, and in contrast to all other proton channels, these open well negative to the Nernst potential for protons. Hence they conduct inward current. Regenerative proton influx would produce action potentials as well as mediating the proton flux from vacuole into scintillon that triggers the flash.

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