Intracellular H+ inhibits a cloned rat kidney outer medulla K+ channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

The pH sensitivity of a cloned rat kidney K+ channel, ROMK1, was examined after expression in Xenopus oocytes. Membrane currents and intracellular pH (pHi) were concomitantly monitored by the two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique and a pH-sensitive microelectrode. Oocytes injected with ROMK1 cRNA developed a hyperpolarized resting potential of -98.7 +/- 0.98 mV and a slightly inwardly rectifying Ba(2+)-sensitive K+ current. Lowering external pH from 7.4 to 6.7 using membrane-permeable acetate buffer reduced measured pHi from 7.2 to 6.6 and reduced the ROMK1 current by 80%. The H+ blockade of ROMK1 currents was voltage independent. The relationship between ROMK1 slope conductance and pHi fitted to a titration curve suggested binding of four H+ to a site with a pK of 6.79. Extracellular acidification from pH 7.4 to 6.0 using membrane-impermeable biphthalate buffer had no effect on the ROMK1 current. The pH sensitivity of the ROMK1 channel is similar to that reported for a small-conductance native kidney K+ channel.