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Updated: Jun 7, 2026

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Published on: November 11, 2022
VKCDB: voltage-gated K+ channel database updated and upgraded
Warren J Gallin1, Patrick A Boutet
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. wgallin@ualberta.ca
The Voltage-gated K(+) Channel DataBase (VKCDB) now offers over 2000 unique channel sequences from Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes. This expanded resource supports phylogenetic analysis with protein and nucleotide data, updated quarterly.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Bioinformatics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The Voltage-gated K(+) Channel DataBase (VKCDB) provides essential sequence data for studying ion channels.
- Previous versions focused primarily on eukaryotic sequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To update and expand the VKCDB with a comprehensive collection of voltage-gated potassium channel sequences.
- To enhance the database with nucleotide sequences and improved categorization for phylogenetic analysis.
Main Methods:
- Curated collection of full-length or nearly full-length unique channel sequences.
- Phylogenetic analysis and hidden Markov model (HMM) analyses for channel subfamily categorization.
- Web interface development for validated entry retrieval and data download (MySQL, XML).
Main Results:
- The updated VKCDB contains 2063 entries, including 477 bacterial, 18 archaeal, and 1568 eukaryotic sequences.
- Both protein and corresponding nucleotide sequences (ORFs) are now available.
- Automated quarterly updates have been implemented.
Conclusions:
- The expanded VKCDB is a valuable, comprehensive resource for researchers studying voltage-gated potassium channels across all domains of life.
- The inclusion of nucleotide sequences and robust categorization facilitates advanced comparative and phylogenetic analyses.
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