CGC Bibliography Paper 5015

SLO-1 potassium channels control quantal content of neurotransmitter release at the C. elegans neuromuscular junction.

Wang ZW, Saifee O, Nonet ML, Salkoff L

Medline:

11738032

Citation:

Neuron 32: 867-881 2001

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

slo-1 unc-64

Abstract:

Six mutants of SLO-1, a large-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel of C. elegans, were obtained in a genetic screen for regulators of neurotransmitter release. Mutants were isolated by their ability to suppress lethargy of an unc-64 syntaxin mutant that restricts neurotransmitter release. We measured evoked postsynaptic currents at the neuromuscular junction in both wild-type and mutants and observed that the removal of SLO-1 greatly increased quanta[ content primarily by increasing duration of release. The selective isolation of slo-1 as the only ion channel mutant derived from a whole genomic screen to detect regulators of neurotransmitter release suggests that SLO-1 plays an important, if not unique, role in regulating