Click here to close Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly. We suggest using a current version of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari.
XB-ART-4443
J Physiol 2004 Apr 01;556Pt 1:109-20. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.055012.
Show Gene links Show Anatomy links

Inactivation and recovery in Kv1.4 K+ channels: lipophilic interactions at the intracellular mouth of the pore.

Bett GC , Rasmusson RL .


???displayArticle.abstract???
C-type inactivation is present in many voltage-gated potassium channels and is probably related to 'slow' inactivation in calcium and sodium channels. The mechanisms underlying C-type inactivation are unclear, but it is sensitive to mutations on both the extra- and intracellular sides of the channel. We used an N-terminal deleted channel with a valine to alanine point mutation at the intracellular side of S6 (fKv1.4[V561A]DeltaN). This construct alters recovery from inactivation and inverts the relationship between C-type inactivation and [K(+)](o). We used this inverted relationship to examine C-type inactivation and coupling mechanisms between N- and C-type inactivation. The valine to alanine mutation reduces the channel's affinity for both quinidine and the N-terminal domain. However, binding of the N-terminal or quinidine restores normal recovery from inactivation. This suggests that coupling between N- and C-type inactivation is dominated by allosteric mechanisms. The permeation mechanism, driven by a reduction in permeant [K(+)](o) following pore block (which would retard C-type inactivation), contributes minimally to coupling in these channels. We propose that the cytoplasmic half of S6 forms part of the N-terminal binding site, as previously predicted from X-ray crystallography studies in the distantly related KcsA channel. Binding of the N-terminal domain or a positively charged lipophilic compound such as quinidine interacts with the hydrophobic moieties on S6 in the bound state. This binding can orientate S6 into a conformation which resembles the normal C-type inactivated state. This is the probable mechanism by which drug or N-terminal binding increases the rate of C-type inactivation via an allosteric mechanism.

???displayArticle.pubmedLink??? 14608006
???displayArticle.pmcLink??? PMC1664896
???displayArticle.link??? J Physiol
???displayArticle.grants??? [+]

Species referenced: Xenopus laevis
Genes referenced: kcna4

References [+] :
Adelman, Episodic ataxia results from voltage-dependent potassium channels with altered functions. 1995, Pubmed, Xenbase