Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. STKE, 19 October 1999
Vol. 1999, Issue 4, p. tw5
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.41999tw5]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Chloride channel Chloride channel: Tail Wagging the Channel

Improper function of the chloride channel known as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) is associated with debilitating diseases in humans. Conductance of the channel is regulated in a complex manner. One mechanism of regulation requires phosphorylation of the channel in the so-called regulatory or R domain, which relieves an inhibitory effect of this domain on channel function. Naren et al. now provide evidence that another region, the amino-terminal tail of the channel, also has critical regulatory effects. The amino-terminal tail appears to promote phosphorylation-induced conductance of the channel through interaction with the R domain. The results present a new potential target for drug development aimed at modification of CFTR channel activity.

Naren, A.P., Cormet-Boyaka, E., Fu, J.,Villain, M., Blalock, J.E., Quick, M.W., and Kirk, K.L. (1999) CFTR chloride channel regulation by an interdomain interaction. Science 286: 544-548. [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: Chloride channel: Tail Wagging the Channel. Sci. STKE 1999, tw5 (1999).

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882