Newly Identified Brain Potassium Channels Gated by the Guanine Nucleotide Binding Protein G o

Potassium channels in neurons are linked by guanine nucleotide binding (G) proteins to numerous neurotransmitter receptors. The ability of G o , the predominant G protein in the brain, to stimulate potassium channels was tested in cell-free membrane patches of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Four distinct types of potassium channels, which were otherwise quiescent, were activated by both isolated brain G o and recombinant G o α. Hence brain G o can couple diverse brain potassium channels to neurotransmitter receptors.