A leak K⁺ channel TWK-40 sustains the rhythmic motor program.

ABSTRACT: Leak potassium (K⁺) currents, conducted by two-pore domain K⁺ (K_2P) channels, are critical for the stabilization of the membrane potential. The effect of K_2P channels on motor rhythm remains enigmatic. We show here that the K_2P TWK-40 contributes to the rhythmic defecation motor program (DMP) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Disrupting TWK-40 suppresses the expulsion defects of nlp-40 and aex-2 mutants. By contrast, a gain-of-function (gf) mutant of twk-40 significantly reduces the expulsion frequency per DMP cycle. In situ whole-cell patch clamping demonstrates that TWK-40 forms an outward current that hyperpolarize the resting membrane potential of dorsorectal ganglion ventral process B (DVB), an excitato

SUBMITTER: Yue Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11217676 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature