Homomeric and heteromeric assembly of KCNQ (Kv7) K+ channels assayed by total internal reflection fluorescence/fluorescence resonance energy transfer and patch clamp analysis.

ABSTRACT: M-type K(+) channels, consisting of KCNQ1-5 (Kv7.1-7.5) subunits, form a variety of homomeric and heteromeric channels. Whereas all the subunits can assemble into homomeric channels, the ability of the subunits to assemble into heteromultimers is highly variable. KCNQ3 is widely thought to co-assemble with several other KCNQ subtypes, whereas KCNQ1 and KCNQ2 do not. However, the existence of other subunit assemblies is not well studied. To systematically explore the heteromeric assembly of KCNQ channels in individual living cells, we performed fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between cyan fluorescent protein- and yellow fluorescent protein-tagged KCNQ subunits expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells under total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in which excitation l

SUBMITTER: Bal M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2576536 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature