Home page		Molecular properties

Mammalian 2P domain and background K+ channels (K2P)

Last update: 16 / 9 / 2002

Introduction

Potassium channels are involved in major biological functions (action potentials, muscle contraction, insulin secretion, …). Each cell of eucaryotic organisms uses a specific combination of potassium channel subunits, together with other ion channels, in order to set its electrical properties. So far, the potassium channel superfamily includes more than 70 cloned subunits. These are classified into three structural families depending on the number of transmembrane domains, TM, and pore domains, P, in each subunit:

the voltage-dependent (6TM 1P),
the inward-rectifier (2TM 1P),
the 2P domain potassium channels (4TM 2P).

This web site focuses on the cloned 2P domain K+ channel subfamily. This site is meant to be a comprehensive resource for all cloned 2P domain potassium channels, with some references to native background channels. The cloned 2P domain K+ channels correspond to the native background channels. These are able to drive the membrane potential towards the potassium equilibrium, starting from all potentials. Thus, the remarkable property of these channels is to strongly polarise the cell membrane. Modulating these channels can strongly modify the electrical properties of the cell. Many 2P domain potassium channels have been cloned and these are drawing growing interest on the part of physiologists.

The information is presented in this web site in three parts:

The K2P Molecular properties presents genomic properties, human chromosomal localisation, structural subfamilies, a dendrogram, structural properties, protein sequence identity, tissular distribution, secondary structure, and putative assembly.

The K2P Functional Properties shows biophysical properties, pharmacological properties, and regulation. This part introduces an "Ionic Current Viewer" showing all recorded currents.

The References on K2P, is a regularly updated list of references divided in five parts: Cloned 2P Domain Potassium Channels, Reviews, General Studies, Comments and Native Background Potassium Channels.
The emerging subfamily of 2P domain K+ channels has an as yet unidentified function. The enormous variety of properties and localisations and the striking features of these channels suggest they are involved in many biological functions.