Potassium Channel Subfamily K, Member 16 (KCNK16)

KCNK16 is expressed predominantly in the pancreas and is activated at alkaline pH. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified for this gene. The deduced 309-amino acid protein contains 4 transmembrane (M) domains, 2 intervening pore (P) domains, a leucine zipper motif in the M4 domain, and a short cytosolic C terminus. KCNK16 also has a conserved cysteine in the M1P1 extracellular loop, 2 N-glycosylation sites, 2 protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, and a protein kinase A phosphorylation site. The KCNK16 protein shares 37% sequence identity with KCNK17. Northern blot analysis detected a 3-kb transcript expressed only in pancreas.KCNK16 generated K(+) currents that were outward rectifying and lost by elevation of extracellular K(+).