title: MinK residues line a potassium channel pore.
abstract: MinK has neither the P region nor signature sequence that characterizes pore-forming subunits of all known K+ channels. A specific minK region has now been identified that affects external blockade by 2 common probes of K+ channel pores. When mutated to cysteine, residues in this region render minK susceptible to covalent blockade by methanethiosulfonate ethylsulfonate and alter reversible inhibition by tetraethylammonium. The 2 blockers are found to share overlapping binding site determinants and to interact. Since inhibition by external tetraethylammonium is sensitive to voltage and to the internal concentration of permeant ions, we argue that tetraethylammonium blocks by occluding the external end of a water-filled transmembrane pore. These findings support the view that minK is directly involved in forming a K+-selective ion conduction pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06536, USA.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D015394:Molecular Structure; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D011189:Potassium Chloride