Before revision:  We show that crowding can alter the gating energies by more than \approx 2  k_BT  , a substantial fraction of the gating energies themselves in some cases  .
After revision:  We show that crowding can alter the gating energies by more than \approx 2 k_BT , a substantial fraction of the gating energies themselves in some cases . Given the ubiquity of membrane crowding, the nonspecific nature of excluded volume interactions, and the fact that the function of many membrane proteins involve significant conformational changes, this specific case study highlights a general aspect in the function of membrane proteins .