 They include the amino acid sequence (Thr-Val-Gly-Tyr-Gly) or (Thr-Val-Gly-Phe-Gly) typical to the selectivity filter of voltage-gated K+ channels.As K+ passes through the pore, interactions between potassium ions and water molecules are prevented and the K+ interacts with specific atomic components of the Thr-Val-Gly-[YF]-Gly sequences from the four channel subunits .It may seem counterintuitive that a channel should allow potassium ions but not the smaller sodium ions through.