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The viral potassium channel Kcv: structural and functional features
Author(s) -
Gazzarrini Sabrina,
Severino Maria,
Lombardi Mara,
Morandi Marzia,
DiFrancesco Dario,
Van Etten James L,
Thiel Gerhard,
Moroni Anna
Publication year - 2003
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/s0014-5793(03)00777-4
Subject(s) - potassium channel , gating , chemistry , biophysics , biology
The chlorella virus PBCV‐1 was the first virus found to encode a functional potassium channel protein (Kcv). Kcv is small (94 aa) and basically consists of the M1‐P‐M2 (membrane‐pore‐membrane) module typical of the pore regions of all known potassium channels. Kcv forms functional channels in three heterologous systems. This brief review discusses the gating, permeability and modulation properties of Kcv and compares them to the properties of bacterial and mammalian K + channels.