Rand JB et al. (1997) "Appendix 2. Neurotransmitter Assignments for Specific Neurons."

Rand JB, Nonet ML

[1997]

Rand JB et al. (1997) "Synaptic Transmission."

Nonet ML, Rand JB

[1997]

Salkoff LB et al. (1999) Curr Top Membr "The impact of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome project on potassium channel biology."

Wei AG, Salkoff LB, Butler A, Nonet ML, Kunkel MT, Wang ZW, Yuan A

[Curr Top Membr, 1999]

The DNA sequence data produced by the Caenorhabditis elegans genome sequencing project has revealed a large extended family of potassium channels, the outlines of which are conserved with vertebrates. This initial peek into the nearly complete library of potassium channels from a single 'simple' organism has revealed a number and complexity of potassium channel types that surpassed expectations. The vast majority of potassium channel types revealed by expressed sequence tags (EST) sequencing projects from many vertebrate and invertebrate animals fit within the outlines of families present in C. elegans. Thus, the broad picture of potassium channel families in C. elegans may represent family relationships conserved among most vertebrate and invertebrate animals. This conservation implies that the electrical lives of cell from most metazoans have similar requirements and are similarly diverse. Furthermore, the fact that the structures and possible biophysical properties of many distinct potassium channel types are conserved implies that specific functional roles of potassium channels may be conserved, as well. Studies now underway to reveal the tissue channels in C. elegans could reveal such conserved roles. These studies may be a guide to similar studies in higher