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We have cloned and expressed a Ca2+-

A full-length K+ channel cDNA (RHKI) was isolated from a rat cardiac library using the polymerasc chain reaction (PCR) method and degenerate oligonucleotide primers derived from K" channel sequences conserved between Drosophila Shaker H4 and mouse brain MBKl. Although RHKl was isolated from heart, its expression was found in both heart and brain. The RHKl-encoded protein, when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, gated a 4aminopyridine (4-AP)-sensitive transient outward current. This current is similar to the transient outward current measured in rat ventricular myocytes with respect to voltage-dependence of activation and inactivation, time course of activation and inactivation, and pharmacology.

In Drosophila, a phospholipase C-mediated signaling cascade links photoexcitation of rhodopsin to the opening of the TRP/TRPL channels. A lipid product of the cascade, diacylglycerol (DAG) and its metabolite(s), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), have both been proposed as potential excitatory messengers. A crucial enzyme in the understanding of this process is likely to be DAG lipase (DAGL). However, DAGLs that might fulfill this role have not been previously identified in any organism. In this work, the Drosophila DAGL gene, inaE, has been identified from mutants that are defective in photoreceptor responses to light. The inaE-encoded protein isoforms show high sequence similarity to known mammalian DAG lipases, exhibit DAG lipase activity in vitro, and are highly expressed in photoreceptors. Analyses of norpA inaE double mutants and severe inaE mutants show that normal DAGL activity is required for the generation of physiologically meaningful photoreceptor responses.

It has been shown for a Shaker channel (H-4) that its NHz-terminal cytoplasmic domain may form a "ball and chain" structure, with the "chain" tethering the "ball" to the channel while the "ball" capable of binding to the channel in its open state and causing inactivation. Equivalent structures have not been identified in mammalian Shaker homologues. We studied the functional role of the NH2-terminal region of a fast-inactivating mammalian K channel, RHK1 (Kvl.4), by deleting different domains in this region and examining the resultant changes in channel properties at whole cell and single channel levels. Deleting the NH2-terminal hydrophobic domain (domain A) or the subsequent positive charges (domain I) from RHKI greatly slowed the decay of whole cell currents, suggesting the existence of a ball-like structure in RHK1 similar to that in the Shaker channel. The function of the ball appeared to be abolished by deleting domain A, while modified but maintained by deleting domain I. In the latter case, the data suggest that the positive charges needed for the function of the ball can be replaced by amino acids from a following region (domain III) that has a high positive charge density. Deleting multiple domains from the NHz terminus of RHK1 corresponding to the chain in Shaker H-4 did not induce expected changes in channel properties that might result from a shortening of a chain. A comparison of single channel kinetics of selected mutant channels with those of the wild-type channel indicated that these deletion mutations slowed whole cell currents by prolonging burst durations and by increasing the probability of reopening during depolarization. There were no changes in single channel current amplitude or latency to first opening. In conclusion, our observations indicate that the inactivation mechanism of RHK1 is similar to that of Shaker H-4 in that a positively charged cytoplasmic domain is important for such a process. The NHz-terminal domain is not involved in channel activation or ion permeation process.

We report the isolation of a novel mouse voltage-gated Shaker-related K ؉ channel gene, Kv1.7 (Kcna7/KCNA7). Unlike other known Kv1 family genes that have intronless coding regions, the protein-coding region of Kv1.7 is interrupted by a 1.9-kilobase pair intron. The Kv1.7 gene and the related Kv3.3 (Kcnc3/KCNC3) gene map to mouse chromosome 7 and human chromosome 19q13.3, a region that has been suggested to contain a diabetic susceptibility locus. The mouse Kv1.7 channel is voltage-dependent and rapidly inactivating, exhibits cumulative inactivation, and has a single channel conductance of 21 pS. It is potently blocked by noxiustoxin and stichodactylatoxin, and is insensitive to tetraethylammonium, kaliotoxin, and charybdotoxin. Northern blot analysis reveals ϳ3-kilobase pair Kv1.7 transcripts in mouse heart and skeletal muscle. In situ hybridization demonstrates the presence of Kv1.7 in mouse pancreatic islet cells. Kv1.7 was also isolated from mouse brain and hamster insulinoma cells by polymerase chain reaction.Ion channels that exhibit a variety of gating patterns and ion selectivity are critical elements that transduce signals in diverse cell types (1). Voltage-gated potassium-selective (Kv) 1 channels represent the largest family within this class of proteins (2), and perform many vital functions in both electrically excitable and nonexcitable cells. Following initiation of an action potential in nerve and muscle cells, Kv channels play the important role of repolarizing the cell membrane (1). Kv channels can also modulate hormone secretion, for example insulin release from pancreatic islet cells (3-6), and regulate calcium signaling during mitogen-stimulated activation of lymphocytes (7).Kv channels in mammalian cells are encoded by an extended family of at least nineteen genes (2). The largest subfamily, Kv1, is related to the fly Shaker gene and contains six members, Kv1.1-Kv1.6 (2). The Shaker gene has 21 exons, which can be alternatively spliced to generate at least five functionally distinct transcripts (8, 9). In contrast, the protein-coding regions of each of the six known mammalian Kv1 genes and the three known Xenopus homologues are contained in a single exon (2, 10), precluding alternative splicing as a means of generating functionally different proteins. The evolutionary significance of this pattern of organization remains a puzzle.Here we report the identification of a novel mammalian gene, Kv1.7 (Kcna7/KCNA7), that has a genomic organization distinct from the other members of the vertebrate Kv1 subfamily. We have defined the chromosomal location of this gene in the mouse and human genome, determined its tissue distribution, and characterized the biophysical and pharmacological properties of the cloned channel. mKv1.7, hKv1.7, hKv3.3, and hKv3.4 DNA Clones-Three overlapping genomic clones (KC225, KC254, and KC256) were isolated from an AKR/J mouse genomic library screened with a mixture of mKv1.1 and rKv1.5 cDNA probes, as described previously (10), and mapped by multiple and partial restrict...

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