Bayesian inference of functional asymmetry in a ligand-gated ion channel

Ligand-gated ion channels enable rapid cellular signaling by coupling extracellular cues to conformational transitions and ionic fluxes[1–5]. ATP-activated P2X receptors, with their minimalist trimeric architecture, serve as models for studying allosteric activation[6–8]. Although high-resolution structures reveal closed and open states[8, 9], the physical basis of the “flip state” and the emergence of negative cooperativity remain unresolved. Here we combine a recursive Bayesian framework (MacroIR) applied to outside-out patch-clamp recordings, with molecular dynamics simulations, to show that P2×2 activation proceeds via a directional, asymmetric coupling mechanism. ATP binding selectively lowers the energetic barrier for rotation of one subunit at the binding interface, promoting partial activation and substantial conductance, while minimally affecting its neighbor. This rotation, in turn, increases the barrier for subsequent ATP binding, providing a mechanistic explanation for negative cooperativity[7]. In the absence of ligand, elevated barriers stabilize the closed state, quantitatively accounting for spontaneous current fluctuations. These findings overturn the prevailing assumption of symmetric, concerted activation, and demonstrate that the classical flip state arises as a necessary physical intermediate. By showing that ligand-induced modulation of activation barriers can drive symmetry breaking in homomeric channels, our results establish a general principle for dynamic protein assemblies, and provide a conceptual basis for designing conformation-selective modulators in pain and inflammation.