Skip to main content

Potassium in Biological Systems

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins

Synonyms

Alkali cation binding sites and structure–functions relations; K+ dependent proteins

Definition of the Subject

This entry provides a comprehensive reference of the role of potassium ions in biological system with examples from bacteria, plant, and animal kingdoms. These involve mediation of ATPase activity, selective conductance across ion channels and pumps.

General Information

Potassium plays an important role in regulation of cellular electrolyte metabolism, electric signaling in cells, transport of essential nutrients, and enzymatic analysis. In alliance with other (i.e., sodium and chloride ions), it contributes to overall electrolyte balance of virtually all living organisms. It also assists in the conduction of nerve impulses. In this entry, various roles played by the potassium ion in mammals, bacteria, and plants will be briefly reviewed.

Potassium in Bacteria

K+is involved in regulation of osmotic pressure, activation of intracellular enzymes, regulation of...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 799.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bass RB, Strop P, Barclay M, Rees DC (2002) Crystal structure of Escherichia coli MscS, a voltage-modulated and mechanosensitive channel. Science 298:1582–1587

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cao Y, Jin X, Huang H, Derebe MG, Levin EJ, Kabaleeswaran V, Pan Y, Punta M, Love J, Weng J, Quick M, Ye S, Kloss B, Bruni R, Martinez-Hackert E, Hendrickson WA, Rost B, Javitch JA, Rajashankar KR, Jiang Y, Zhou M (2011) Crystal structure of a potassium ion transporter, TrkH. Nature 471:336–340

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Demidchik V, Maathuis F (2010) Ion channels and plant stress responses. Springer, Heidelberg/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dreyer I, Uozumi N (2011) Potassium channels in plant cells. FEBS J 278:4293–4303

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein W (2003) The roles and regulation of potassium in bacteria. Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol 75:293–320

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grabov A (2007) Plant KT/KUP/HAK potassium transporters: single family – multiple functions. Ann Bot 99:1035–1041

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hibino H, Inanobe A, Furutani K, Murakami S, Findlay I, Kurachi Y (2010) Inwardly rectifying potassium channels: their structure, function, and physiological roles. Physiol Rev 90:291–366

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hunte C, Screpanti E, Venturi M, Rimon A, Padan E, Michel H (2005) Structure of a Na+/H+ antiporter and insights into mechanism of action and regulation by pH. Nature 435:1197–1202

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Long SB, Campbell EB, MacKinnon R (2005) Crystal structure of a mammalian voltage-dependent shaker family K+ channel. Science 309:897–903

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parthasarathy S, Ravishankar M (2007) Potassium ion and anaesthetic implications. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol 23:129–144

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shieh CC, Coghlan M, Sullivan JP, Gopalakrishnan M (2000) Potassium channels: molecular defects, diseases, and therapeutic opportunities. Pharmacol Rev 52:557–594

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shinoda T, Ogawa H, Cornelius F, Toyoshima C (2009) Crystal structure of the sodium-potassium pump at 2.4 angstrom resolution. Nature 459:446–450

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sirois JE, Lei QB, Talley EM, Lynch C, Bayliss DA (2000) The TASK-1 two-pore domain K+ channel is a molecular substrate for neuronal effects of inhalation anesthetics. J Neurosci 20:6347–6354

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sumukh Deshpande .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this entry

Cite this entry

Deshpande, S., Durdagi, S., Noskov, S.Y. (2013). Potassium in Biological Systems. In: Kretsinger, R.H., Uversky, V.N., Permyakov, E.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_224

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics