A leak K⁺ channel TWK-40 sustains the rhythmic motor program

Leak potassium (K⁺) currents, conducted by two-pore domain K⁺ (K_2P) channels, are critical for the stabilization of the membrane potential. The effect of K_2P channels on motor rhythm remains enigmatic. We show here that the K_2P TWK-40 contributes to the rhythmic defecation motor program (DMP) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Disrupting TWK-40 suppresses the expulsion defects of nlp-40 and aex-2 mutants. By contrast, a gain-of-function (gf) mutant of twk-40 significantly reduces the expulsion frequency per DMP cycle. In situ whole-cell patch clamping demonstrates that TWK-40 forms an outward current that hyperpolarize the resting membrane potential of dorsorectal ganglion ventral process B (DVB), an excitatory GABAergic motor neuron that activates expulsion muscle contraction. In addition, TWK-40 substantially contributes to the rhythmic activity of DVB. Specifically, DVB Ca²⁺ oscillations exhibit obvious defects in loss-of-function (lf) mutant of twk-40. Expression of TWK-40(gf) in DVB recapitulates the expulsion deficiency of the twk-40(gf) mutant, and inhibits DVB Ca²⁺ oscillations in both wild-type and twk-40(lf) animals. Moreover, DVB innervated enteric muscles also exhibit rhythmic Ca²⁺ defects in twk-40 mutants. In summary, these findings establish TWK-40 as a crucial neuronal stabilizer of DMP, linking leak K_2P channels with rhythmic motor activity.