RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Unzipping Ion Channels JF Science's STKE JO Sci. STKE FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP pe1 OP pe1 DO 10.1126/stke.2001.98.pe1 VO 2001 IS 98 A1 MacFarlane, Stacey Nee A1 Levitan, Irwin B. YR 2001 UL http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2001/98/pe1.abstract AB The functions of ion channels can be regulated by their phosphorylation state. Protein kinases and protein phosphatases tightly control the activity of channels, thereby regulating the flow of ions across cell membranes. Channel proteins and kinases or phosphatases can associate directly or through intermediate adaptor proteins. An interaction domain termed the leucine zipper (LZ), once thought to be unique to some families of transcription factors, has been identified in channel proteins and their cognate binding proteins. MacFarlane and Levitan discuss what roles LZ-containing proteins might have in controlling channel function.