Voltage-gated hydrogen channel 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the HVCN1gene.
Voltage-gated hydrogen channel 1 is a voltage-gated proton channel that has been shown to allow proton transport into phagosomes[5][6] and out of many types of cells including spermatozoa, electrically excitable cells and respiratory epithelial cells.[7] The proton-conducting HVCN1 channel has only transmembrane domains corresponding to the S1-S4 voltage sensing domains (VSD) of voltage-gated potassium channels and voltage-gated sodium channels.[8] Molecular simulation is consistent with a water-filled pore that can function as a "water wire" for allowing hydrogen bonded H+ to cross the membrane.[9][10] However, mutation of Asp112 in human Hv1 results in anion permeation, suggesting that obligatory protonation of Asp produces proton selectivity.[11] Quantum mechanical calculations show that the Asp-Arg interaction can produce proton selective permeation.[12] The HVCN1 protein has been shown to exist as a dimer with two functioning pores.[13][14] Like other VSD channels, HVCN1 channels conduct ions about 1000-fold slower than channels formed by tetrameric S5-S6 central pores.[15]
