title: Molecular basis of functional diversity of voltage-gated potassium channels in mammalian brain.
abstract: Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs isolated from a rat cortex cDNA library reveals that a gene family encodes several highly homologous K+ channel forming (RCK) proteins. Functional characterization of the channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes following microinjection of in vitro transcribed RCK-specific RNAs shows that each of the RCK proteins forms K+ channels that differ greatly in both their functional and pharmacological properties. This suggests that the molecular basis for the diversity of voltage-gated K+ channels in mammalian brain is based, at least partly, on the expression of several RCK proteins by a family of genes and their assembly to homooligomeric K+ channels with different functional properties.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Abteilung Membranbiophysik, Göttingen, FRG.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stühmer
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ruppersberg
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sakmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stocker
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Giese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perschke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pongs
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D004247:DNA; D015761:4-Aminopyridine