Harold Zakon, University of Texas at Austin

Keeping it brief: molecular and biophysical specializations of an electric fish potassium channel for short duration action potentials

Molecular and biophysical variation contributes to the evolution of adaptive phenotypes, particularly behavior. The adaptively significant electric organ discharge (EOD) behavior of weakly electric fish is the direct result of biophysical membrane properties set by ion channels. I will describe a voltage-gated potassium channel, highly expressed in the electric organ, which shortens electric organ action potentials by activating quickly and at hyperpolarized membrane potentials. By expressing these channels in oocytes and manipulating key amino acids with site-directed mutagenesis, we have uncovered the key amino acids that confer these key properties on this channel. Our results shed light on the tuning of vertebrate potassium channels in general.

Additional Information

MEET THE SPEAKER: If you are interested in meeting with Harold, please drop a note to Rüdiger Krahe: ruediger.krahe@hu-berlin.de

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Rüdiger Krahe