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Alternative splicing within the I–II loop controls surface expression of T‐type Ca v 3.1 calcium channels
Author(s) -
Shcheglovitov Aleksandr,
Vitko Iuliia,
Bidaud Isabelle,
Baumgart Joel P.,
Navarro-Gonzalez Manuel F.,
Grayson T. Hilton,
Lory Philippe,
Hill Caryl E.,
Perez-Reyes Edward
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.10.013
Subject(s) - alternative splicing , gating , rna splicing , exon , electrophysiology , voltage dependent calcium channel , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene expression , biophysics , biology , calcium , genetics , neuroscience , rna , organic chemistry
Molecular diversity of T‐type/Ca v 3 Ca 2+ channels is created by expression of three genes and alternative splicing of those genes. Prompted by the important role of the I–II linker in gating and surface expression of Ca v 3 channels, we describe here the properties of a novel variant that partially deletes this loop. The variant is abundantly expressed in rat brain, even exceeding transcripts with the complete exon 8. Electrophysiological analysis of the Δ8b variant revealed enhanced current density compared to Ca v 3.1a, but similar gating. Luminometry experiments revealed an increase in the expression of Δ8b channels at the plasma membrane. We conclude that alternative splicing of Ca v 3 channels regulates surface expression and may underlie disease states in which T‐channel current density is increased.