Structurally ordered water molecules in the pore of GLIC Structurally ordered water molecules in the pore of GLIC. (A) Enlarged representation of the pore with the M2 helices shown as a cartoon and the side chains of the pore‐lining residues shown as sticks. Structurally ordered water molecules in the pore of GLIC. (A) Enlarged representation of the pore with the M2 helices shown as a cartoon and the side chains of the pore‐lining residues shown as sticks. A well resolved self‐stabilized ‘tight pentagon’ of water molecules is present at the level of Ser6′ (left top). A Na+ atom and five bound water molecules are observed at the intracellular end of the pore (left bottom). Detergents are shown as sticks, waters and Na+ atoms as spheres. The blue mesh is the maximum likelihood 2mFo–DFc map contoured at a level of 1.5σ. For clarity, the electron density surrounding the Na+ has been removed from the left bottom panel. (B) Interaction network between the water molecules, the Na+ and the pore‐lining M2 residues. The alternative conformation that is adopted by Glu‐2′ is also represented (yellow). Ludovic Sauguet et al. EMBO J. 2013;32:728-741 © as stated in the article, figure or figure legend