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Functional analysis of gating in TOKI and related K+ channels

ReferenceC07797
Principal Investigator / Supervisor Professor Michael Blatt
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Professor Simon Jarvis
Institution Imperial College London
DepartmentBiological Sciences
Funding typeResearch
Value (£) 170,827
StatusCompleted
TypeResearch Grant
Start date 15/03/1997
End date 15/03/2000
Duration36 months

Abstract

Gating of TOKI, a K+ channel cloned from Saccharomyces, is a model for outward- rectifying K+ channels in plants and fungi that are sensitive to extracellular [K+] as well as voltage. The effect is analogous to animal anomalous rectifiers, but the mechanisms clearly differ. TOKI includes an unusual double-pore structure and lacks the archetypal membrane-spanning voltage sensor. We have begun site-directed mutagenesis, expressing TOKI in Xenopus oocytes, and find that the gate is regulated by K+ binding at a site removed from the channel permeation pathway. Funds are requested to continue this research (1) to characterise the amino acid sequences of TOKI that contribute to the extracellular K+- and voltage-sensitivities of gating and (2) to use a TOKI deletion to screen for other outward-rectifying K+ channels by complementation in yeast.

Summary

unavailable
Committee Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research TopicsX – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research PriorityX – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative X - not in an Initiative
Funding SchemeX – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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