A VOLTAGE-GATED CHLORIDE CHANNEL IN THE YEAST SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

We report the sequencing and identification on chromosome X of Sacchar omyces cerevisiae of an open reading frame whose product, designated y ClC-1, displays significant structural similarity to a voltage-gated C l- channel family. This putative protein contains 13 hydrophobic domai ns very similar to transmembrane domains exhibited by known members of this family. Some amino acids in the domains and at the loops between them are well conserved among all members. This is the first voltage- gated Cl- channel described in the yeast S. cerevisiae. The identifica tion of yClC-1 will facilitate the functional analysis of Cl- channels in general, and should also assist in the identification of other ClC genes in higher eukaryotes.