BK Channels Function in Nematocyst Discharge from Vibration-Sensitive Cnidocyte Supporting Cell Complexes of the Sea Anemone .

AbstractIntegrated chemo- and mechanosensory pathways, along with activated calcium influxes, regulate nematocyst discharge from sea anemone tentacles. Discharge from vibration-sensitive Type A cnidocyte supporting cell complexes use calcium-conducting transient receptor potential V4-like channels. Because calcium influxes often couple with calcium-activated, large-conductance potassium (BK) channels, we hypothesized that BK channels function in nematocyst discharge. To verify this hypothesis, we first tested five selective BK channel blockers on nematocyst-mediated prey killing in (aka ). All tested BK channel blockers inhibited prey killing at concentrations comparable to their inhibition of vertebrate BK channels. In addition, the BK channel blocker paxilline selectively inhibited prey killing mediated by vibration-sensitive Type A cnidocyte supporting cell complexes. We queried a mammalian BK amino acid sequence to the database, from which we identified a putative anemone, pore-forming BK subunit sequence. Using the BK sequence as a template, we assembled a BK transcript from our assembled transcriptome. In addition, the hydra homolog of BK localizes to nematocytes on the hydra single-cell RNA sequencing map. Our findings suggest that expresses BK channels that play a role in vibration-sensitive nematocyst discharge from Type A cnidocyte supporting cell complexes. We believe this is the first functional demonstration of BK channels in nonbilaterians. Because stimulated chemoreceptors frequency tune Type A cnidocyte supporting cell complexes to frequencies matching swimming movements of prey a protein kinase A signaling pathway and protein kinase A generally activates BK channels, we suggest that BK channels may participate in protein kinase A-mediated frequency tuning.