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View Proteins belonging to: The Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ Channel Auxiliary Subunit Slowpoke-β (Sloβ) Family

8.A.14 The Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ Channel auxiliary subunit Slowpoke-β (Sloβ) Family

The Sloβ (slowpoke, subunit β) family is a relatively small family of vertebrate homologues. The principal subunit (α) is the large conductance Ca²⁺-activated BK K⁺ channel (TC #1.A.1.3.1), which requires both Ca²⁺ and voltage for opening. Sloβ possesses 2 TMSs with the N- and C-termini, bearing phosphorylation sites in the cytoplasm, and the extracellular loop is glycosylated. The Sloβ subunit regulates sensitivity to voltage and Ca²⁺. It may enhance Ca²⁺ sensitivity by altering the conformation and movements of the voltage sensor. A similar function of the beta2 subunit may be governed by a distinct mechanism (Yang et al., 2008).

Regulation of voltage-activated K⁺ channel gating by transmembrane β-subunits has been reviewed (Sun et al., 2012). The beta2 subunit of BKCa modulates the apparent Ca²⁺/voltage sensitivity as well as the pharmacological and kinetic properties of the channel. In addition, the N terminus of the beta2 subunit acts as an inactivating particle that produces a relatively fast inactivation of the ionic conductance. Thus, the beta2 subunit of BKCa channels facilitates channel activation by changing the voltage sensor equilibrium, and this is followed by beta(2)-induced inactivation (Savalli et al. 2007).

Coded by a single gene (Slo1, KCM) BK channels are activated by depolarizing potentials and by a rise in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration. They are large conductance voltage- and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel tetramers characterized by a pore-forming alpha subunit containing seven transmembrane segments (instead of the six found in voltage-dependent K⁺ channels) and a large C-terminus composed of two K⁺ conductance regulatory domains (RCK domains), where the Ca²⁺-binding sites reside. BK channels are associated with accessory beta subunits, and four beta subunits are known (beta1, beta2, beta3, and beta4). Despite the fact that they all share the same topology, each beta subunit has a specific tissue distribution, modifies channel kinetics distinctively, exhibits different pharmacological properties and has different Ca²⁺ sensitivities (Torres et al. 2014).

The transport reaction catalyzed by the BK channel αβ complex is:

K⁺ (in) K⁺ (out)

View Proteins belonging to: The Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ Channel Auxiliary Subunit Slowpoke-β (Sloβ) Family

References associated with 8.A.14 family:

Anjard, C. and W.F. Loomis. (2006). GABA induces terminal differentiation of Dictyostelium through a GABAB receptor. Development 133: 2253-2261. 16672332

Brenner, R., T.J. Jegla, A. Wickenden, Y. Liu, and R.W. Aldrich. Cloning and functional characterization of novel large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel β subunits, hKCNMB3 and hKCNMB4. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 6453-6461. 10692449

Bukiya, A.N., A.K. Singh, A.L. Parrill, and A.M. Dopico. (2011). The steroid interaction site in transmembrane domain 2 of the large conductance, voltage- and calcium-gated potassium (BK) channel accessory β1 subunit. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108: 20207-20212. 22123969

Coetzee, W.A., Y. Amalillo, J. Chiu, A. Chow, D. Lau, T. McCormack, H. Moreno, M.S. Nadal, A. Ozaita, D. Pountney, M. Saganich, E. Vega-Saenz de Miera, and B. Rudy (1999). Molecular diversity of K⁺ channels. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci USA 868: 233-285. 10414301

Hoshi, T., Y. Tian, R. Xu, S.H. Heinemann, and S. Hou. (2013). Mechanism of the modulation of BK potassium channel complexes with different auxiliary subunit compositions by the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110: 4822-4827. 23487786

Kuntamallappanavar, G. and A.M. Dopico. (2017). BK β1 Subunit-Dependent Facilitation Of Ethanol Inhibition Of BK Current And Cerebral Artery Constriction Is Mediated By The β1 Transmembrane Domain 2. Br J Pharmacol. [Epub: Ahead of Print] 28940182

Mangubat, E.Z., T.-T. Tseng, and E. Jakobsson. (2003). Phylogenetic analyses of potassium channel auxiliary subunits. J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (in press). 12867745

Prabhu, Y., R. Müller, C. Anjard, and A.A. Noegel. (2007). GrlJ, a Dictyostelium GABAB-like receptor with roles in post-aggregation development. BMC Dev Biol 7: 44. 17501984

Savalli, N., A. Kondratiev, S.B. de Quintana, L. Toro, and R. Olcese. (2007). Modes of operation of the BKCa channel beta2 subunit. J Gen Physiol 130: 117-131. 17591990

Sun, X., M.A. Zaydman, and J. Cui. (2012). Regulation of Voltage-Activated K⁺ Channel Gating by Transmembrane β Subunits. Front Pharmacol 3: 63. 22529812

Tseng-Crank, J., N. Godinot, T.E. Johansen, P.K. Ahring, D. Strøbaek, R. Mertz, C.D. Foster, S.P. Olesen, and P.H. Reinhart. (1996). Cloning, expression, and distribution of a Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel β-subunit from human brain. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93: 9200-9205. 8799178

Wallner, M., P. Meera, and L. Toro. (1999). Molecular basis of fast inactivation in voltage and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels: a transmembrane beta-subunit homolog. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96: 4137-4142. 10097176

Yang, H., G. Zhang, J. Shi, U.S. Lee, K. Delaloye, and J. Cui. (2008). Subunit-specific effect of the voltage sensor domain on Ca²⁺ sensitivity of BK channels. Biophys. J. 94: 4678-4687. 18339745

Zarei, M.M., M. Song, R.J. Wilson, N. Cox, L.V. Colom, H.G. Knaus, E. Stefani, and L. Toro. (2007). Endocytic trafficking signals in KCNMB2 regulate surface expression of a large conductance voltage and Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel. Neuroscience 147: 80-89. 17521822