Neuron
Volume 9, Issue 5, November 1992, Pages 861-871
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Article
Subunit stoichiometry of a mammalian K+ channel determined by construction of multimeric cDNAs

https://doi.org/10.1016/0896-6273(92)90239-AGet rights and content

Abstract

The subunit stoichiometry of the mammalian K+ channel KV1.1(RCK1) was examined by linking together the coding sequences of 2–5 K+ channel subunits in a single open reading frame and tagging the expression of individual subunits with a mutation (Y379K or Y379R) that altered the sensitivity of the channel to block by external tetraethylammonium ion. Two lines of evidence argue that these constructs lead to K+ channel expression only through the formation of functional tetramers. First, currents expressed by tetrameric constructs containing a single mutant subunit have a sensitivity to tetraethylammonium that is well fitted by a single site binding isotherm. Second, a mutant subunit (Y379K) that expresses only as part of a heteromultimer contributes to the expression of functional channels when coexpressed with a trimeric construct but not a tetrameric construct.

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