The β Subunit Increases the Ca2+ Sensitivity of Large Conductance Ca2+-activated Potassium Channels by Retaining the Gating in the Bursting States

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Population

Mammalian large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels and native BK channels from cultured rat skeletal…

Comparison

Coexpression of the beta subunit with the alpha… vs Alpha subunit alone (absence of the beta subunit)

Design

Preclinical

Authors

Discussion

May guide BK modulator design for vascular tone; leaves open translation from animal gating to human physiology.

Population

Mammalian large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels and native BK channels from cultured rat skeletal muscle

Intervention

Coexpression of the beta subunit (KV,Cabeta) with the alpha subunit

Comparator

Alpha subunit alone (absence of the beta subunit)

Outcome

Channel open probability (Po) and bursting kinetics (burst duration, gap duration)surrogate

The beta subunit increases the Ca2+ sensitivity of BK channels by retaining the gating in bursting states, increasing burst duration 20-100-fold.

Nimigean et al. (1999) studied this question.

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