Stoichiometry and current kinetics of KCNQ1-KCNE1 ion channel complex

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590292
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: National Institute for Physiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJO Koichi 生理学研究所, 分子生理研究系, 助教 (80390699)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: イオンチャネル / カリウムチャネル / 蛍光イメージング / KCNQ1 / KCNE1 / 全反射蛍光顕微鏡 / Kv4

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I investigated how the expression level of KCNE1 affected the slow current kinetics of a cardiac voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ1. I found that the more binding of KCNE1 to KCNQ1, the less activity KCNQ1 showed. I also found that the longer the distance between the two subunits, the slower the activation kinetics became. In another cardiac voltage-gated potassium channel Kv4, the current kinetics was also dependent on the expression level of its auxiliary subunits KChIP4 and DPP10. The expression levels of auxiliary subunits for ion channels could be a key factor in cardiac excitability.

Free Research Field

イオンチャネルの分子生理学・生物物理学