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. 1996 Aug 20;93(17):9200–9205. doi: 10.1073/pnas.93.17.9200

Cloning, expression, and distribution of a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel beta-subunit from human brain.

J Tseng-Crank 1, N Godinot 1, T E Johansen 1, P K Ahring 1, D Strøbaek 1, R Mertz 1, C D Foster 1, S P Olesen 1, P H Reinhart 1
PMCID: PMC38619  PMID: 8799178

Abstract

We have cloned and expressed a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel beta-subunit from human brain. The open reading frame encodes a 191-amino acid protein possessing significant homology to a previously described subunit cloned from bovine muscle. The gene for this subunit is located on chromosome 5 at band q34 (hslo-beta). There is no evidence for alternative RNA splicing of this gene product. hslo-beta mRNA is abundantly expressed in smooth muscle, but expression levels are low in most other tissues, including brain. Brain subregions in which beta-subunit mRNA expression is relatively high are the hippocampus and corpus callosum. The coexpression of hslo-beta mRNA together with hslo-alpha subunits in either Xenopus oocytes or stably transfected HEK 293 cells give rise to Ca(2+)-activated potassium currents with a much increased calcium and/or voltage sensitivity. These data indicate that the beta-subunit shows a tissue distribution different to that of the alpha-subunit, and in many tissues there may be no association of alpha-subunits with beta-subunits. These beta-subunits can play a functional role in the regulation of neuronal excitability by tuning the Ca2+ and/or the voltage dependence of alpha-subunits.

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