New ether-à-go-go K(+) channel family members localized in human telencephalon.
A cDNA encoding a novel voltage-gated K(+) channel protein was isolated from human brain. This protein, termed BEC1, is 46% identical to rat elk in the ether-à-go-go K(+) channel family. The BEC1 gene maps to the 12q13 region of the human genome. Northern blot analysis indicates that BEC1 is exclusively expressed in human brain, where the expression is concentrated in the telencephalic areas such as the cerebral cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and striatum. By in situ hybridization, BEC1 is detected in the CA1-CA3 pyramidal cell layers and the dentate gyrus granule cell layers of the hippocampus. Specific signals are also found in neocortical neurons. Transfection of mammalian L929 and Chinese hamster ovary cells with BEC1 cDNA induces a voltage-gated outward current with a fast inactivation component. This current is insensitive to tetraethylammonium and quinidine. Additionally, a second related gene BEC2 was isolated from human brain. BEC2 is also brain-specific, located in the neocortex and the striatum, and functional as a channel gene. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that BEC1 and BEC2 constitute a subfamily, together with elk, in the ether-à-go-go family. The two genes may be involved in cellular excitability of restricted neurons in the human central nervous system.
Miyake
A
A
Molecular Medicine Laboratories, Institute for Drug Discovery Research, Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan. miyake@yamanouchi.co.jp
Mochizuki
S
S
Yokoi
H
H
Kohda
M
M
Furuichi
K
K
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D011802:Quinidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D036224:Receptor, EphB4; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection
D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; C121381:KCNH3 protein, human; C121382:KCNH4 protein, human; C485659:Kcnh3 protein, rat; C485664:Kcnh4 protein, rat; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D036224:Receptor, EphB4; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family; D011802:Quinidine