Required for homeostatic regulation of sleep under normal conditions and after sleep deprivation. Important regulator of the Sh K(+) channel, acting as a signaling molecule that connects sleep drive to lowered membrane excitability, possibly by enhancing K(+) channel activity and thus reducing neuronal excitability. Enriched in brain and head. N-glycosylated. Both daytime and nighttime sleep are severely reduced in both males and females. A small percentage of flies (around 9%) do not sleep at all. A moderate reduction has minimal effects on baseline sleep but markedly reduces the amount of recovery sleep after sleep deprivation. Mutants have impaired Sh-dependent K(+) current. Belongs to the quiver family. Several sequencing errors. Sleepless nights - Issue 101 of January 2009