PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Xie, Jiuyong
AU  - McCobb, David P.
TI  - Control of Alternative Splicing of Potassium Channels by Stress Hormones
AID  - 10.1126/science.280.5362.443
DP  - 1998 Apr 17
TA  - Science
PG  - 443--446
VI  - 280
IP  - 5362
4099  - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/280/5362/443.short
4100  - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/280/5362/443.full
SO  - Science1998 Apr 17; 280
AB  - Many molecular mechanisms for neural adaptation to stress remain unknown. Expression of alternative splice variants of Slo, a gene encoding calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channels, was measured in rat adrenal chromaffin tissue from normal and hypophysectomized animals. Hypophysectomy triggered an abrupt decrease in the proportion of Slo transcripts containing a “STREX” exon. The decrease was prevented by adrenocorticotropic hormone injections. InXenopus oocytes, STREX variants produced channels with functional properties associated with enhanced repetitive firing. Thus, the hormonal stress axis is likely to control the excitable properties of epinephrine-secreting cells by regulating alternative splicing of Slo messenger RNA.