The Drosophila Small Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel Negatively Regulates Nociception.

Inhibition of nociceptor activity is important for the prevention of spontaneous pain and hyperalgesia. To identify the critical K channels that regulate nociceptor excitability, we performed a forward genetic screen using a Drosophila larval nociception paradigm. Knockdown of three K channel loci, the small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (SK), seizure, and tiwaz, causes marked hypersensitive nociception behaviors.