Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv1.1 , Kv1.2 , Kv1.6 , Slo1

Title: Novel effects of dendrotoxin homologues on subtypes of mammalian Kv1 potassium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Authors: B Robertson, D Owen, J Stow, C Butler, C Newland

Journal, date & volume: FEBS Lett., 1996 Mar 25 , 383, 26-30

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8612784

Abstract
We have examined the effects of two DTX homologues, toxin I and toxin K, on Kv1.1, Kv1.2 and Kv1.6 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Toxin I blocked all three channels; in contrast, toxin K was selective for Kv1.1. Both toxins slowed channel activation and inactivation kinetics with 10 nM toxin I approximately doubling activation and inactivation time constants of Kv1.1. For the first time, we have demonstrated the selectivity of a DTX homologue for a single cloned Kv1 channel and suggest that these toxins may sterically hinder the conformational changes that occur during channel gating.