ISK, a slowly activating voltage-sensitive K+ channel. Characterization of multiple cDNAs and gene organization in...

mISK is a protein consisting of 129 amino acids with a single putative transmembrane domain. The injection of mISK cRNA into Xenopus oocytes directs the expression of a voltage-gated K+ current. A heart mRNA blot probed with mISK DNA revealed at least two transcripts. The messenger diversity of mISK was investigated by cloning and characterization of multiple cDNAs of one genomic clone, and by performing primer extension experiments. All cDNAs characterized have the same protein-coding sequence, and heterogeneity of the transcripts arises from alternative splicing, and multiple sites of transcription start and polyadenylation. ISK is encoded by a single gene in the mouse genome. The gene organization reveals the existence of an exon containing the whole protein-coding sequence and of two alternative exons corresponding to the 5' untranslated sequences. We failed to detect the presence of another exon capable of extending the protein-coding sequence. The diversity of mISK messengers is not associated with a diversity of the mISK protein.