DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0cfxpnw8s
title: Touch sensation requires the mechanically gated ion channel ELKIN1

description: The extraordinary speed of touch perception is enabled by
 mechanically-activated ion channels, the opening of which excites
 cutaneous sensory endings to initiate sensation. We identify Elkin1(1) as
 an ion channel likely gated by mechanical force necessary for normal
 behavioral touch sensitivity in mice. Touch insensitivity in Elkin1-/-
 mice was caused by a loss of mechanically-activated currents (MA-currents)
 in around half of all sensory neurons that are activated by light touch
 (low threshold mechanoreceptors, LTMRs). Reintroduction of Elkin1 into
 sensory neurons from Elkin1-/- mice acutely restored MA-currents.
 Additionally, siRNA mediated knockdown of Elkin1 from induced human
 sensory neurons substantially reduced indentation-induced MA-currents
 supporting a conserved role for Elkin1 in human touch. Our data identify
 Elkin1 as a novel core component of touch transduction in mammals.
description: # Touch sensation requires the mechanically-gated ion channel ELKIN1.
 The dataset uploaded here
 is in prism format and contains all the figures shown in Chakrabarti et al
 2023. Datasets were derived from a variety of experimental protocols
 including behavioral data, patch clamp electrophysiology, skin nerve
 electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, tripartite-GFP assay. All the
 data here are processed, along with corresponding graphs. ## Description
 of the data and file structure Data are structured in a prism format
 according to the figure numbers of the manuscript. For example, if the
 name of the prism file is "Fig2_Supp3", it contains data and
 graphs from Figure 2 and Supplementary Figure Fig S3 from the manuscript.
 The names of the data tables in prism is descriptive of the experiment
 conducted followed by the technique used. For example, the data table
 named "Threshold_patchclamp_pillar" contains data of thresholds
 of mechanical activation as assessed using pillar assay and patch clamp
 electrophysiology. All methods are explained the Supplementary file of the
 manuscript. All statistical analysis is also provided in the Results tab
 and graphs in the Graphs tab of the prism files. Listed here are the files
 uploaded and the description of the relevant experiments:
 Fig1_Suppl1_upload.pzfx: Data from Fig 1 and Fig S1 - all data from patch
 clamp electrophysiology. Fig2_Suppl3_upload.pzfx: Data from Fig 2 and Fig
 S3 - contains behavioral and immunohistochemical read out
 Fig3_Suppl4_Suppl5_upload.pzfx: Data from Fig 3, Fig S4 and Fig S5 -
 contains patch clamp electrophysiology and immunocytochemistry data
 Fig4_Suppl8_upload.pzfx: Data from Fig 4, Fig S8 - all data from skin
 nerve electrophysiology Fig5_Suppl9_Suppl10_upload.pzfx: Data from Fig 5,
 Fig S9 and FIg S10 - contains patch clamp electrophysiology and skin nerve
 electrophysiology data Suppmelentary2\_ SC.pzfx: Data from Fig S2 -
 contains cell attached patch clamp data with pressure clamp
 Supplementary6_SC.pzfx: Data from Fig S6 - all data from patch clamp
 electrophysiology with poking of human-derived sensory neurons
 Supplementary7_SC.pzfx: Data from Fig S7- contains triGFP experiments and
 patch clamp data showing interaction between STOML3 and ELKIN1. Statistics
 are also provided.