HYBRID AND FUSION POLYPEPTIDE SUBUNITS OF K+ CHANNELS

摘要

A method for preparing a K+ channel comprising alpha subunits and beta subunits, the method comprising the step of providing the alpha subunits and beta subunits of said channel, wherein at least two said subunits, which subunits are naturally encoded as separate polypeptides, are provided as a fusion polypeptide comprising the said at least two subunits. A method for preparing a K+ channel comprising more than one subunit, the method comprising the step of providing the subunits of said channel, wherein at least two said subunits, which subunits are naturally encoded as separate polypeptides, are provided as a fusion polypeptide comprising the said at least two subunits and wherein the said fusion polypeptide is provided by expressing the fusion polypeptide in a mammalian cell from a recombinant polynucleotide encoding the said fusion polypeptide. A chimaeric Kv1.1 polypeptide comprising the C-terminal region of Kv1.1, wherein the N-terminal assembly-regulating region of Kv1.1 is replaced by the N-terminal assembly-regulating region of Kv1.2. The methods and chimaeric polypeptide are useful in preparing K+ channels equivalent to naturally occuring K+ channels, which are useful in identification and characterisation of physiologically relevant K+ channels, drug screening and diagnosis.