Metabolic Modulation of Potassium Channels

Dirk Trauner^1* and Richard H. Kramer²

¹Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
²Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Summary: Recent investigations have shown that a range of small molecules that reflect the metabolic state of a cell regulate the activity of potassium channels. For instance, hydrogen peroxide has been shown to activate adenosine 5'-triphosphate–sensitive potassium channels (K_ATP channels), whereas heme closes certain calcium-activated potassium channels. Although the exact function of the ß subunit associated with voltage-gated potassium channels is still unclear, its crystal structure suggests that membrane excitability is directly coupled to metabolism.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: trauner{at}cchem.berkeley.edu

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