Functionally-Coupled Ion Channels Begin Co-assembling at the Start of Their Synthesis

Calcium binding to BK channels lowers BK activation threshold, substantiating functional coupling with calcium-permeable channels. This coupling requires close proximity between different channel types, and the formation of BK–Ca_V1.3 hetero-clusters at nanometer distances exemplifies this unique organization. To investigate the structural basis of this interaction, we tested the hypothesis that BK and Ca_V1.3 channels assemble before their insertion into the plasma membrane. Our approach incorporated four strategies: (1) detecting interactions between BK and Ca_V1.3 proteins inside the cell, (2) identifying membrane compartments where intracellular hetero-clusters reside, (3) measuring the proximity of their mRNAs, and (4) assessing protein interactions at the plasma membrane during early translation. These analyses revealed that a subset of BK and Ca_V1.3 transcripts are spatially close in micro-translational complexes, and their newly synthesized proteins associate within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. Comparisons with other proteins, transcripts, and randomized localization models support the conclusion that BK and Ca_V1.3 hetero-clusters form before their insertion at the plasma membrane.