The subject invention includes mutant voltage-gated ion channels that are open over a wide range of potential differences across membranes. The present invention also includes methods of use such mutant voltage-gated ion channels in cells with highly negative potential differences across their membranes. One preferred mutant voltage-gated ion channel is a channel with a mutation at the residue homologous to P513 in Kv1.5 and at least one mutation at one of the residues homologous to R400, R403, and R409 in Kv1.5.