title: Region-specific expression of a K+ channel gene in brain.
abstract: Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization studies reveal the highly localized expression in rat brain of transcripts from a gene (KShIIIA) encoding components for voltage-gated K+ channels. KShIIIA expression is particularly prominent throughout the dorsal thalamus. The expression of KShIIIA is compared to that of a closely related gene, here called NGK2-KV4. These two genes encode transcripts that induce currents in Xenopus oocytes that are as of yet indistinguishable, but they show very different patterns of expression in rat brain. NGK2-KV4 transcripts are particularly abundant in the cerebellar cortex, where KShIIIA expression is very weak. These results demonstrate the existence of cell-type-specific K+ channel components and suggest that one reason for the unusually large diversity of K+ channel proteins is the presence of subtypes that participate in specific brain functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rudy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kentros
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiser
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fruhling
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serodio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vega-Saenz de Miera
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ellisman
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D012313:RNA