title: Assembly of ROMK1 (Kir 1.1a) inward rectifier K+ channel subunits involves multiple interaction sites.
abstract: The ROMK1 (Kir 1.1a) channel is formed by a tetrameric complex of subunits, each characterized by cytoplasmic N- and C-termini and a core region of two transmembrane helices flanking a pore-forming segment. To delineate the general regions mediating the assembly of ROMK1 subunits we constructed epitope-tagged N-terminal, C-terminal, and transmembrane segment deletion mutants. Nonfunctional subunits with N-terminal, core region, and C-terminal deletions had dominant negative effects when coexpressed with wild-type ROMK1 subunits in Xenopus oocytes. In contrast, coexpression of these nonfunctional subunits with Kv 2.1 (DRK1) did not suppress Kv 2.1 currents in control oocytes. Interactions between epitope-tagged mutant and wild-type ROMK1 subunits were studied in parallel by immunoprecipitating [35S]-labeled oocyte membrane proteins. Complexes containing both wild-type and mutant subunits that retained H5, M2, and C-terminal regions were coimmunoprecipitated to a greater extent than complexes consisting of wild-type and mutant subunits with core region and/or C-terminal deletions. The present findings are consistent with the hypothesis that multiple interaction sites located in the core region and cytoplasmic termini of ROMK1 subunits mediate homomultimeric assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bentle
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins