title: An evolutionarily conserved family of accessory subunits of K+ channels.
abstract: Accessory subunits are an essential feature of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels. They determine trafficking to the plasma membrane, surface expression, gating, permeation, and pharmacology. At least three distinct classes of accessory subunits including the KCNE family can regulate Kv channel function. KCNE genes encode integral membrane proteins with a single transmembrane domain. KCNE genes span the eukaryotic kingdom and, in mutated form, can cause acquired and congenital disease. Here we review genetic, physiological, and biophysical aspects of KCNE proteins with particular emphasis on the Caenorhabditis elegans subfamily.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 683 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Shi-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ki Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sesti
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000502:physiology*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C473893:MPS-1 protein, C elegans; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D021122:Protein Subunits