# Physiological Role for Cation Channels in Bacteria

> **NIH NIH R01** · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $385,457

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Tetrameric cation channels are widely conserved among all species. While bacterial cation channels are often
used in structural and biophysical assays as models for their eukaryotic homologs, little is known about their
physiological role in bacteria. Escherichia coli (E. coli) possesses a single tetrameric K+ channel, kch, which
bears high sequence homology to eukaryotic K+ channels. The generation of a viable ∆kch strain created as part
of a large E. coli single-gene knockout collection led to kch being categorized as a non-essential protein, and
the functional role of this putative K+ channel has remained unknown. Preliminary data demonstrates that Kch is
actually an essential protein and that ∆kch strains acquire suppressor mutations in order to remain viable. These
suppressor mutations provide important clues as to which metabolic processes utilize the channel and has
revealed a potential physiological role for Kch. Based on these results, the following aims are proposed: (1) to
characterize the functional properties of the kch K+ channel; (2) to determine how Kch function affects E. coli
physiology; and (3) to expand these findings to other bacteria to elucidate the conserved functions of bacterial
cation channels. The results of this work will expand knowledge on the role of cation channels in bacterial
physiology. Given the prevalence of these channels in pathogenic bacteria, understanding how cation channels
benefit them may reveal how these proteins could be exploited as novel drug targets.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9952385
- **Project number:** 5R01GM132436-02
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Steve W Lockless
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $385,457
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9952385

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9952385, Physiological Role for Cation Channels in Bacteria (5R01GM132436-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9952385. Licensed CC0.

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