Potassium Channel Subfamily K, Member 12 (KCNK12)

KCNK12 is a member of the 2-pore domain superfamily of background K(+) channels, which are open at all membrane potentials and contribute to the cellular resting membrane potential. The deduced protein contains 430 amino acids, including 4 transmembrane domains with 2 intervening pore domains. It has N-glycosylation sites and phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C, protein kinase A, and casein kinase. Human KCNK12 shares 98% amino acid identity with rat Kcnk12 and about 62% identity with KCNK13. Within the pore regions, KCNK12 and KCNK13 are nearly identical. In situ hybridization of rat brain slices revealed expression in most brain regions. Confocal microscopy of Xenopus oocytes injected with fluorescent-tagged rat Kcnk12 showed targeting to the outer membrane.