title: K+ channels of stomatal guard cells. Characteristics of the inward rectifier and its control by pH.
abstract: Intracellular microelectrode recordings and a two-electrode voltage clamp have been used to characterize the current carried by inward rectifying K+ channels of stomatal guard cells from the broadbean, Vicia faba L. Superficially, the current displayed many features common to inward rectifiers of neuromuscular and egg cell membranes. In millimolar external K+ concentrations (Ko+), it activated on hyperpolarization with half-times of 100-200 ms, showed no evidence of time- or voltage-dependent inactivation, and deactivated rapidly (tau approximately 10 ms) on clamping to 0 mV. Steady-state conductance-voltage characteristics indicated an apparent gating charge of 1.3-1.6. Current reversal showed a Nernstian dependence on Ko+ over the range 3-30 mM, and the inward rectifier was found to be highly selective for K+ over other monovalent cations (K+ greater than Rb+ greater than Cs+ much greater than Na+). Unlike the inward rectifiers of animal membranes, the current was blocked by charybdotoxin and alpha-dendrotoxin (Kd much less than 50 nM), as well as by tetraethylammonium chloride (K1/2 = 9.1 mM); gating of the guard cell K+ current was fixed to voltages near -120 mV, independent of Ko+, and the current activated only with supramillimolar K+ outside (EK+ greater than -120 mV). Most striking, however, was inward rectifier sensitivity to [H+] with the K+ current activated reversibly by mild acid external pH. Current through the K+ inward rectifier was found to be largely independent of intracellular pH and the current reversal (equilibrium) potential was unaffected by pHo from 7.4 to 5.5. By contrast, current through the K+ outward rectifier previously characterized in these cells (1988. J. Membr. Biol. 102:235) was largely insensitive to pHo, but was blocked reversibly by acid-going intracellular pH. The action of pHo on the K+ inward rectifier could not be mimicked by extracellular Ca2+ for which changes in activation, deactivation, and conductance were consonant with an effect on surface charge ([Ca2+] less than or equal to 1 mM). Rather, extracellular pH affected activation and deactivation kinetics disproportionately, with acid-going pHo raising the K+ conductance and shifting the conductance-voltage profile positive-going along the voltage axis and into the physiological voltage range. Voltage and pH dependencies for gating were consistent with a single, titratable group (pKa approximately 7 at -200 mV) residing deep within the membrane electric field and accessible from the outside.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Botany School, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Blatt
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D059828:Plant Cells; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D011188:Potassium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000502:physiology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000502:physiology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D015221:Potassium Channels; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium