Access

Letter

Nature 442, 696-699 (10 August 2006) | doi:10.1038/nature04880; Received 28 February 2006; Accepted 8 May 2006; Published online 21 June 2006

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

More science jobs
Post a job for free

Enzymatic activation of voltage-gated potassium channels

Yajamana Ramu1, Yanping Xu1 & Zhe Lu1

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA

Correspondence to: Zhe Lu1 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to Z.L. (Email: zhelu@mail.med.upenn.edu).

Top

Voltage-gated ion channels in excitable nerve, muscle, and endocrine cells generate electric signals in the form of action potentials1. However, they are also present in non-excitable eukaryotic cells and prokaryotes, which raises the question of whether voltage-gated channels might be activated by means other than changing the voltage difference between the solutions separated by the plasma membrane. The search for so-called voltage-gated channel activators is motivated in part by the growing importance of such agents in clinical pharmacology. Here we report the apparent activation of voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channels by a sphingomyelinase.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Greasing the gears of potassium channels

Nature Chemical Biology News and Views (01 Aug 2006)

RESEARCH

Removal of phospho-head groups of membrane lipids immobilizes voltage sensors of K + channels

Nature Letters to Editor (14 Feb 2008)

Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in HaCaT Keratinocytes Apoptosis Induced by Loxosceles Venom Sphingomyelinase D

Journal of Investigative Dermatology Original Article