Potassium Channel Subfamily K, Member 2 (KCNK2)

TREK1 is a 2-pore-domain background potassium channel expressed throughout the central nervous system. It is opened by polyunsaturated fatty acids, lysophospholipids, and volatile anesthetics, and it is inhibited by neurotransmitters that increase intracellular cAMP or activate the Gq signaling pathway.

The Trek cDNA encodes a 370-amino acid polypeptide. In situ hybridization of mouse brain revealed that its expression is widespread.Trek1 was necessary but not sufficient to provide mechanical and chemical sensitivities. Trek1 truncation mutants lacking 2 C-terminal protein kinase A consensus phosphorylation sites were insensitive to cAMP and serotonin, suggesting that phosphorylation may be involved in downmodulation of Trek1 by cAMP.