A family of γ‐like calcium channel subunits

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Abstract
The γ subunit was initially identified as an auxiliary subunit of the skeletal muscle calcium channel complex. Evidence for the existence of further γ subunits arose following the characterization of a genetic defect that induces epileptic seizures in stargazer mice. We present here the first account of a family of at least five putative γ subunits that are predominantly expressed in brain. The γ-2 and γ-4 subunits shift the steady-state inactivation curve to more hyperpolarized potentials upon coexpression with the P/Q type α1A subunit. The coexpression of the γ-5 subunit accelerates the time course of current activation and inactivation of the α1G T-type calcium channel.