Cartoon Info

The cartoon on each variant page shows the membrane folding pattern and some other structural features of a KCNQ2/3 subunit. A small circle represents each of the 872 amino acids. Dark blue circles are placed at borders between important functional domains. Above, the functional domains are labelled in red: intracellular N and C terminals, the six transmembrane segments (S1 through S6), linkers between the transmembrane segments, and C terminal segments known to be helical structures (A to D).

Each channel is made up of 4 subunits, arranged around the central ion pathway (or pore). The cartoon below shows an assembled channel with one subunit removed to reveal the central potassium (K) ion pathway. The S6 and S5 helices form the lining of the pore, while the S1-S4 helices are further away from the pore and touch the membrane (shown in orange).