9O5K | pdb_00009o5k

Cryo-EM structure of human SWELL1-PSA heterocomplex


Experimental Data Snapshot

  • Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
  • Resolution: 3.19 Å
  • Aggregation State: PARTICLE 
  • Reconstruction Method: SINGLE PARTICLE 

wwPDB Validation 3D Report Full Report

Validation slider image for 9O5K

This is version 1.2 of the entry. See complete history

Literature

Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase acts as an inhibitory auxiliary subunit of volume-regulated anion channels and regulates cGAMP transport.

Zheng, W.Hagino, T.Wang, H.Cheng, H.Y.Koylass, N.Chen, K.H.Wang, H.Mani, S.Mondal, A.K.Twomey, E.C.Qiu, Z.

(2025) Mol Cell 85: 4621-4632.e7

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2025.11.014
  • Primary Citation Related Structures: 
    9O5K

  • PubMed Abstract: 

    Volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) are large-pore channels expressed in most vertebrate cells and are critical for cell volume regulation and autocrine/paracrine signaling. Here, we identify the ubiquitously expressed puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA) as a binding partner of the obligatory VRAC subunit SWELL1 (also known as LRRC8A) and determine the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SWELL1-PSA complex. Three PSA molecules bind a single SWELL1 hexamer, coupling adjacent leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains into local dimers. Functionally, PSA overexpression suppresses VRAC activation, whereas PSA deletion dramatically elevates basal channel activity. Notably, PSA's modulation of VRACs requires physical binding but not aminopeptidase activity, indicating a structural mechanism. Our findings identify PSA as an auxiliary subunit of VRACs, highlight the role of intracellular LRR domains in allosteric channel gating, and suggest a strategy to tune VRAC function in diverse physiological contexts, including 2'3'-cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) transport and downstream stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling.


  • Organizational Affiliation
    • Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Macromolecule Content 

  • Total Structure Weight: 868.45 kDa 
  • Atom Count: 55,815 
  • Modeled Residue Count: 6,858 
  • Deposited Residue Count: 7,554 
  • Unique protein chains: 2

Macromolecules

Find similar proteins by:|  3D Structure
Entity ID: 1
MoleculeChains  Sequence LengthOrganismDetailsImage
Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidaseA [auth G],
B [auth I],
C [auth H]
884Homo sapiensMutation(s): 0 
Gene Names: NPEPPSPSA
EC: 3.4.11.14
UniProt & NIH Common Fund Data Resources
Find proteins for P55786 (Homo sapiens)
Explore P55786 
Go to UniProtKB:  P55786
PHAROS:  P55786
GTEx:  ENSG00000141279 
Entity Groups
Sequence Clusters30% Identity50% Identity70% Identity90% Identity95% Identity100% Identity
UniProt GroupP55786
Sequence Annotations
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Reference Sequence
Find similar proteins by:|  3D Structure
Entity ID: 2
MoleculeChains  Sequence LengthOrganismDetailsImage
Volume-regulated anion channel subunit LRRC8A817Homo sapiensMutation(s): 0 
Gene Names: LRRC8AKIAA1437LRRC8SWELL1UNQ221/PRO247
UniProt & NIH Common Fund Data Resources
Find proteins for Q8IWT6 (Homo sapiens)
Explore Q8IWT6 
Go to UniProtKB:  Q8IWT6
PHAROS:  Q8IWT6
GTEx:  ENSG00000136802 
Entity Groups
Sequence Clusters30% Identity50% Identity70% Identity90% Identity95% Identity100% Identity
UniProt GroupQ8IWT6
Sequence Annotations
Expand
Reference Sequence

Experimental Data & Validation

Experimental Data

  • Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
  • Resolution: 3.19 Å
  • Aggregation State: PARTICLE 
  • Reconstruction Method: SINGLE PARTICLE 
EM Software:
TaskSoftware PackageVersion
RECONSTRUCTIONcryoSPARC4.6.0

Structure Validation

View Full Validation Report



Entry History 

& Funding Information

Deposition Data


Funding OrganizationLocationGrant Number
National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH/NIGMS)United StatesR35GM124824

Revision History  (Full details and data files)

  • Version 1.0: 2025-12-17
    Type: Initial release
  • Version 1.1: 2025-12-24
    Changes: Data collection, Database references
  • Version 1.2: 2025-12-31
    Changes: Data collection, Database references