α-subunits of voltage-gated channels in vertebrates development and disease
Speaker: prof. Vladimir Korzh, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
Talk: α-subunits of voltage-gated channels in vertebrates development and disease
Time: 20th September 2019, 14:00 pm
Venue: Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, Abrahama 58, hall 042
Kcnb1-containing voltage-gated potassium channels consist of two types of α-subunits: (i) electrically active Kcnb1 subunits and (ii) silent or modulatory α-subunits. Voltage-gated potassium channels are viewed as regulators of electrical activity of the plasma membrane in excitable cells, a role that is performed by transmembrane protein domains of α-subunits. Genetic studies revealed a role for this region in human neurodevelopmental disorders, such as epileptic encephalopathy. The N- and C-terminals of α-subunits interact to form the cytoplasmic subunit of heterotetrameric potassium channels that regulate their activity. Subsequent animal studies revealed the developmental functions of Kcnb1-containing voltage-gated potassium channels, illustrating their role during brain development and reproduction. The functions of potassium channels will be discussed in the context of regulatory interactions between electrically active and regulatory α-subunits during zebrafish development.