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. 1999 Sep 17;285(5435):1929-31.
doi: 10.1126/science.285.5435.1929.

Acute activation of Maxi-K channels (hSlo) by estradiol binding to the beta subunit

M A Valverde  1 , P Rojas, J Amigo, D Cosmelli, P Orio, M I Bahamonde, G E Mann, C Vergara, R Latorre
Affiliations

Acute activation of Maxi-K channels (hSlo) by estradiol binding to the beta subunit

M A Valverde et al. Science. .

Abstract

Maxi-K channels consist of a pore-forming alpha subunit and a regulatory beta subunit, which confers the channel with a higher Ca(2+) sensitivity. Estradiol bound to the beta subunit and activated the Maxi-K channel (hSlo) only when both alpha and beta subunits were present. This activation was independent of the generation of intracellular signals and could be triggered by estradiol conjugated to a membrane-impenetrable carrier protein. This study documents the direct interaction of a hormone with a voltage-gated channel subunit and provides the molecular mechanism for the modulation of vascular smooth muscle Maxi-K channels by estrogens.

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Comment in

  • Beating the odds with Big K.
    Silberberg SD, Magleby KL. Silberberg SD, et al. Science. 1999 Sep 17;285(5435):1859-60. doi: 10.1126/science.285.5435.1859. Science. 1999. PMID: 10515790 No abstract available.

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