TY - JOUR
T1 - An essential 'set' of K+ channels conserved in flies, mice and humans
AU - Salkoff, Lawrence
AU - Baker, Keith
AU - Butler, Alice
AU - Covarrubias, Manuel
AU - Pak, Michael D.
AU - Wei, Aguan
N1 - Funding Information:
and L. Kelly. We also thank D. McKinnon for the BK2 cDNA. Supported by NIH grant N524785, a grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and a Washington University Monsanto Company Grant.
PY - 1992/5
Y1 - 1992/5
N2 - The molecular genetic approach to studying K+ channels has revealed that at least four subfamilies of voltage-gated K+ channels originally discovered in Drosophila are conserved in mice and humans. This conservation of the K+ channel subfamilies Shaker, Shal, Shab, and Shaw suggests that not only the broad outlines of membrane electrical properties but also many molecular details as well evolved in the parent species ancestral to both invertebrate and vertebrate life. Shaker, Shal, Shab, and Shaw K+ channels have similar structures, but appear to be independent channel systems: when co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes, all four function independently. These four K+ channel subfamilies may be part of an essential 'set' of excitable channels required by most nervous systems. The task now remaining is to understand the functions of each member of the set.
AB - The molecular genetic approach to studying K+ channels has revealed that at least four subfamilies of voltage-gated K+ channels originally discovered in Drosophila are conserved in mice and humans. This conservation of the K+ channel subfamilies Shaker, Shal, Shab, and Shaw suggests that not only the broad outlines of membrane electrical properties but also many molecular details as well evolved in the parent species ancestral to both invertebrate and vertebrate life. Shaker, Shal, Shab, and Shaw K+ channels have similar structures, but appear to be independent channel systems: when co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes, all four function independently. These four K+ channel subfamilies may be part of an essential 'set' of excitable channels required by most nervous systems. The task now remaining is to understand the functions of each member of the set.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026573836&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0166-2236(92)90165-5
DO - 10.1016/0166-2236(92)90165-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 1377421
AN - SCOPUS:0026573836
SN - 0166-2236
VL - 15
SP - 161
EP - 166
JO - Trends in Neurosciences
JF - Trends in Neurosciences
IS - 5
ER -