Current inhibition of human EAG1 potassium channels by the Ca2+ binding protein S100B.

ABSTRACT

Voltage-dependent human ether à go-go (hEAG1) potassium channels are implicated in neuronal signaling as well as in cancer cell proliferation. Unique sensitivity of the channel to intracellular Ca(2+) is mediated by calmodulin (CaM) binding to the intracellular N- and C-termini of the channel. Here we show that application of the acidic calcium-binding protein S100B to inside-out patches of Xenopus oocytes causes Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of expressed hEAG1 channels. Protein pull-down assays and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) revealed that S100B binds to hEAG1 and shares the same binding sites with CaM. Thus, S100B is a potential alternative calcium sensor for hEAG1 potassium channels.