NUCLEOTIDE AND POLYPEPTIDE SEQUENCES OF KCNA7, A MAMMALIAN VOLTAGE-GATED POTASSIUM CHANNEL PROTEIN, AND USE THEREOF

摘要

The present invention relates to the mammalian KCNA7 gene coding for a voltage-gated potassium channel protein. The invention further relates to methods for identifying agents capable of modulating voltage-gated potassium ion channel activity and the use of such agents for the treatment of ion channel related conditions, e.g. schizophrenia, depression, stroke, migraine, epilepsy, diabetes and neurodegenerative disease. Blockers of the KCNA7 ion channel would be expected i.a. to increase insulin release and thereby reduce hyperglycemia associated with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.