果蝇的内向整流型钾离子通道(英文)

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels in Drosophila

内向整流型钾离子通道(Kir)是一类特殊的钾离子选择性通道,具有内向整流性,即钾离子内流较外流容易得多。这类离子通道介导许多细胞功能,包括维持静息膜电位,维持钾离子平衡稳态以及调节细胞代谢水平。由于哺乳动物中存在15个Kir基因,目前在单个离子通道突变动物中进行的遗传学研究可能因为基因冗余而未能揭示这类通道的许多重要生理功能。这一问题可通过使用简单模型动物来解决,比如整个基因组只含3个Kir基因的果蝇。在果蝇上开展的成熟的遗传学研究方法还可为发现更多的Kir通道调控机制提供有力的工具。因此在这里我们综述了果蝇Kir离子通道的研究进展。对果蝇Kir通道的了解将会引导我们发现人类Kir通道的新的功能及调控机制,并有助于相关疾病的病理学研究。

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels （Kir） are a special subset of potassium selective ion channels which pass potassium more easily into rather than out of the cell. These channels mediate a variety of cellular functions, including control of membrane rest- ing potential, maintenance of potassium homeostasis and regulation of cellular metabolism. Given the existence of fifteen Kir genes in mammals, current genetic studies using mutant animals that lack a single channel may have missed many important physiological functions of these channels due to gene redundancy. This issue can be circumvented by using a simple model organism like Drosophila, whose genome encodes only 3 Kir proteins. The sophisticated genetic approaches of Drosophila may also provide powerful tools to identify additional regulation mechanisms of Kir channels. Here we provide an overview of the progress made in elucidating the func- tion of Drosophila Kir channels. The knowledge of Drosophila Kir channels may lead us to uncover novel functions and regulation mechanisms of human Kir channels and help on pathological studies of related diseases.