BTB (Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric a brac)/POZ (poxvirus and zinc finger) domain found in Drosophila melanogaster potassium voltage-gated channel protein Shaker and similar proteins
Shaker, also termed protein minisleep, represents a family of putative potassium channel proteins in the nervous system of Drosophila. It is a voltage-gated potassium channel that mediates transmembrane potassium transport in excitable membranes. Assuming opened or closed conformations in response to the voltage difference across the membrane, the protein forms a tetrameric potassium-selective channel through which potassium ions may pass in accordance with their electrochemical gradient. Shaker plays a role in the regulation of sleep need or efficiency. Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are composed of alpha subunits, which form the actual conductance pore, and cytoplasmic beta subunits, which are auxiliary proteins that associate with alpha subunits to modulate the activity of the Kv channel. Shaker is an alpha subunit that forms functional homo- or hetero-tetrameric channels (with other alpha subunits) through its BTB/POZ domain, also known as tetramerization (T1) domain, which is a versatile protein-protein interaction motif.