Potassium channel
View Patent ↗A novel polypeptide which is useful in searching for a therapeutic agent for diabetes, a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide, an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide, a cell transfected with the expression vector, an antibody binding to the polypeptide, and a method of screening a therapeutic agent for diabetes are disclosed. The polypeptide is a novel background potassium channel expressed in the pancreas.
1. An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 10 and exhibiting a background potassium channel activity.
2. An isolated polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 10.
3. An isolated polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide according to claims 1 or 2 .
4. An expression vector comprising the polynucleotide according to claim 3 .
5. A cell transfected with the expression vector according to claim 4 .
6. A method of screening agents to identify a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes, comprising:
bringing a cell into contact with a test compound, wherein the cell is transfected with an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide selected from:
(a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 10, and exhibiting a background potassium channel activity, and
(b) a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 10, and
analyzing whether the test compound suppresses the polypeptide, wherein a test compound that suppresses the polypeptide is identified as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes.
7. A method of screening agents to identify a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes, comprising:
bringing a cell into contact with a test compound, wherein the cell is transfected with an expression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide selected from:
(a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and exhibiting a background potassium channel activity, and
(b) a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and
analyzing whether the test compound suppresses the polypeptide, wherein a test compound that suppresses the polypeptide is identified as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes.