Association of microcystin-LR and its biotransformation product with a hepatic-cytosolic protein

Microcystin-LR (MCYST-LR), a cyclic peptide hepatotoxin, associates with high-molecular-weight, liver cytosolic components. Repetitive cycles of heat denaturation and pronase digestion released 80 ± 6% of the bound radiolabel from these components, parent toxin (22%), and two biotransformation products, with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) retention times of 6.7 (52%) and 5.6 (13%) min. Both parent and the biotransformed (6.7 min) toxin appeared to be covalently bound to a monomeric protein of molecular weight 40,000 (protein plus radiolabeled toxin). Binding and biotransformation reactions were time- and temperature-dependent and did not require endogenous molecules <6,000 daltons. The binding appeared to be saturable with a maximum of 20 pmol MCYST-LR bound per mg protein. The binding protein(s) and biotransformation activity were present in rat liver, brain, kidney, heart, lung, small intestine, large intestine, testes, skeletal muscle, and to a lesser extent, in fat. Okadaic acid, a specific protein phosphatase inhibitor, showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of [³H]MCYST-LR binding to hepatic cytosol. The molecular weight and organ distribution of the binding protein(s), and inhibition of binding by okadaic acid were consistent with one of the binding sites being the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase type 2A.     

Production and characterization of antibodies against microcystins.

Antibodies against a microcystin (MCYST) leucine-arginine variant (MCYST-LR) were demonstrated 4 weeks after immunization of rabbits with either MCYST-LR-polylysine- or MCYST-LR-ethylenediamine-modified bovine serum albumin. A radioimmunoassay (RIA), a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and an indirect competitive ELISA were developed for characterization of the antibodies. Indirect ELISA and RIA revealed that MCYST-LR-ethylenediamine-bovine serum albumin was a better immunogen. Competitive RIA and direct ELISA revealed that the antibodies had good cross-reactivities with an MCYST-arginine-arginine variant (MCYST-RR), MCYST-LR, an MCYST-tyrosine-arginine variant (MCYST-YR), and nodularin (NODLN); but they had lower reactivities with variants MCYST-leucine-tyrosine (MCYST-LY) and MCYST-leucine-alanine (MCYST-LA). The antibodies did not cross-react with ozonolyzed MCYST-LR. The concentrations causing 50% inhibition of binding of reduced MCYST-LR to the antibodies by MCYST-RR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-YR, NODLN, MCYST-LA, and MCYST-LY in the RIA were 43, 105, 112, 503, 671, and 1,920 ng/ml, respectively. The concentrations causing 50% inhibition of binding of MCYST-LR-horseradish peroxidase to the antibodies by MCYST-RR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-YR, NODLN, MCYST-LY, and MCYST-LA in the ELISA were 1.75, 2.2, 3.4, 4.6, 50, and 114 ng/ml, respectively.     

Production and characterization of antibodies against microcystins

Antibodies against a microcystin (MCYST) leucine-arginine variant (MCYST-LR) were demonstrated 4 weeks after immunization of rabbits with either MCYST-LR-polylysine- or MCYST-LR-ethylenediamine-modified bovine serum albumin. A radioimmunoassay (RIA), a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and an indirect competitive ELISA were developed for characterization of the antibodies. Indirect ELISA and RIA revealed that MCYST-LR-ethylenediamine-bovine serum albumin was a better immunogen. Competitive RIA and direct ELISA revealed that the antibodies had good cross-reactivities with an MCYST-arginine-arginine variant (MCYST-RR), MCYST-LR, an MCYST-tyrosine-arginine variant (MCYST-YR), and nodularin (NODLN); but they had lower reactivities with variants MCYST-leucine-tyrosine (MCYST-LY) and MCYST-leucine-alanine (MCYST-LA). The antibodies did not cross-react with ozonolyzed MCYST-LR. The concentrations causing 50% inhibition of binding of reduced MCYST-LR to the antibodies by MCYST-RR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-YR, NODLN, MCYST-LA, and MCYST-LY in the RIA were 43, 105, 112, 503, 671, and 1,920 ng/ml, respectively. The concentrations causing 50% inhibition of binding of MCYST-LR-horseradish peroxidase to the antibodies by MCYST-RR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-YR, NODLN, MCYST-LY, and MCYST-LA in the ELISA were 1.75, 2.2, 3.4, 4.6, 50, and 114 ng/ml, respectively.     

Binding of Clostridium perfringens [125I]enterotoxin to rabbit intestinal cells

125I-Labeled enterotoxin from Clostridium perfringens was utilized to characterize the association of the enterotoxin with cells isolated from rabbit intestine and tissue homogenates from liver, kidney, and brain. The enterotoxin was found to bind in a specific and saturable manner to cells from intestine and to tissue homogenates from liver and kidney but not the brain. Detailed studies of the binding were carried out with the ileal epithelial intestinal cells. The rate and amount of binding of enterotoxin to cells appeared to be temperature dependent. Apparent affinity and association and dissociation rate constants were calculated for what appeared to be two classes of saturable binding sites. The amount of enterotoxin molecules that bound per milligram of cell protein was similar in tissue of intestinal, liver, and kidney origin (approximately 10(13) molecules/mg of cell protein). Spontaneous dissociation into the supernatant medium was observed to be much slower than expected from calculations based on the rate of association. Chaotropic ions did not enhance dissociation of the enterotoxin from cells. Enterotoxin binding was demonstrated to be heat labile (binding ability was lost after the enterotoxin was heated for 10 min at 60 degrees C). A mechanism is described whereby the enterotoxin binds and then is inserted into the membrane where it becomes trapped.     

The interaction of tetanus toxin with intact bovine adrenal chromaffin cells: binding of toxin and subsequent inhibition of catecholamine release.

Tetanus toxin (about 1 nM) inhibits 70% of the nicotine-evoked release of catecholamines from intact adrenal medullary chromaffin cells after 20 h of incubation and 30% of the K(+)-evoked release. Inhibition of Ca(2+)-evoked release from detergent-permeabilized cells requires higher concentrations of toxin (about 1 microM) toxin, but is maximal after 12 min. Preincubation of the intact cells with ganglioside GT1 in the absence of toxin also inhibits evoked secretion. 125I-labelled toxin bound specifically to these cells; the binding capacity was greater at pH 6 (about 1 pmol toxin/mg cell protein) than at pH 7.4 (about 0.25 pmol). In both cases there were at least two binding components: one of high affinity (Kd about 1 nM) accounting for about 20% of total binding and one of lower affinity (Kd 10-20 nM). Preincubation of the cells with ganglioside increased the binding capacity, but did not affect the Kd of the lower affinity component. Similar observations could be made when binding was measured immunocytochemically. Extraction of gangliosides from chromaffin cells and overlay experiments with radiolabelled toxin showed that, as well as GM3, the major ganglioside component of chromaffin cell membranes, a ganglioside having the chromatographic mobility of GT1 was a major ligand for toxin.     

Analysis of the physicochemical interactions between Clostridium difficile toxins and cholestyramine using liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization

A potential therapy for antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis is to bind Clostridium difficile toxins A and B using cholestyramine, a hydrophobic anion exchange medium. Frontal analysis in isotonic phosphate buffer was studied using post-column derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde, which gave a highly sensitive (> or =30 ng) flow-through analysis. Following load (1.5-3.0 microg toxin/3.6 mg), toxin A was bound at a slightly higher capacity than B, due to slower kinetics. A salt gradient eluted roughly 20% of bound toxin A with 0.6 M NaCl and toxin B with 1.1 M NaCl, hence toxin A showed weaker electrostatic affinity. The remainder of toxin A (65%) and some of toxin B (10% out of 50%) were eluted using a subsequent gradient to 60% acetonitrile in normal saline, which measured predominantly hydrophobic binding. Low and high affinity populations of both toxins were observed. Glycocholic acid or amino acids were competitive binders, although these components had little effect on the toxin A population bound primarily through ionic interactions. Competitive protein constituents in hamster cecal contents were also profiled. These results help to explain the variable clinical response in using cholestyramine to treat colitis. Using quaternary amine-polyhydroxymethacrylate (PHM) ion exchange chromatography, a trend for increased binding at higher pH was observed, especially for toxin A. Binding to strong cation exchange resins (sulfonate-PHM) was not observed. A range of reversed phase media retained both toxins, although recovery was very poor relative to protein standards. Size exclusion chromatography with light scattering detection showed that toxin B exists in different aggregation states, while toxin A remains monomeric.     

THE BINDING INTERACTION BETWEEN α-LATROTOXIN FROM BLACK WIDOW SPIDER VENOM AND A DOG CEREBRAL CORTEX SYNAPTOSOMAL MEMBRANE PREPARATION

—The major toxin of black widow spider venom, α-latrotoxin, can be iodinated with ¹²⁵I with hardly any loss in biological activity. The radioactive toxin could bind specifically to a dog cerebral cortex synaptosomal membrane preparation but not to a dog liver plasma membrane preparation. The bound protein could be recovered from the neuronal membrane preparation in an unchanged form. Non-specific binding was only 6–10% of the total binding. The protein nature of the presumed receptor was indicated by the complete inhibition of the binding by either heating the membrane preparation at 70°C or treating the membrane with trypsin. Pre-incubation with 2%β-mercaptoethanol also completely inhibited the binding, while 70% inhibition was observed after pre-treatment with 10m M-EDTA or EGTA. From plots of the equilibrium binding data, it could be ascertained that the binding is non-cooperative, with an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant, K₁, of 1.0 nM. Kinetic data gave an apparent association rate constant of 8.2 × 10⁵ M^?1 s^?1. Dissociation followed a biphasic exponential with rate constants of 1.4 × 10^?3 and 5.2 × 10^?5s^?1 corresponding to half-lives of 8.2 min and 3.7 h. Possible schemes for the binding interaction were proposed. Based on the present results and on previous results which indicated that α-latrotoxin causes the release of all neurotransmitters and a depletion of the synaptic vesicle population in vertebrate synapses, a hypothetical mechanism of the action for the toxin was proposed, involving the binding of the toxin to a membrane protein receptor which interacts with filamentous proteins linking the synaptic vesicles to the axolemma.     

Binding of Clostridium botulinum type C neurotoxin to rat brain synaptosomes

The binding of Clostridium botulinum type C neurotoxin to rat brain synaptosomes was determined by the use of 125I-neurotoxin. The binding was independent of the incubation temperature (0 degrees C and 37 degrees C) and was equilibrated in 10 min. The dose dependent of 125I-toxin binding to synaptosomes at 0 degrees C showed that there were two kinds of toxin receptors on the synaptosomal membrane; the association constants and maximum binding values were 1.05 x 10(10 M-1, 5.25 x 10(-13) mol/mg of synaptosomal protein and 5.00 x 10(6) M-1, 5.00 x 10(-12) mol/mg of synaptosomal protein, respectively. When the incubation of toxin with synaptosomes was continued at 37 degrees C after 125I-toxin had been pre-incubated with synaptosomes at 0 degrees C for 10 min, the displacement of labeled toxin by the addition of excess amounts of unlabeled toxin decreased slightly with increasing incubation time, and finally 0.4% of the bound 125I-toxin was not displaced from synaptosomes. The binding of 125I-toxin to synaptosomes was inhibited by anti-heavy chain IgG and a monoclonal antibody which neutralized toxin and recognized heavy chain. These results suggest that the binding sites of toxin to synaptosomes are localized on heavy chain and a small amount of the bound toxin is incorporated into the synaptosomal membrane or synaptosomes.     

Biopotency and nuclear binding of glucocorticoids

Nuclear binding abilities of 3 glucocorticoids, dexamethasone (Dex), prednisolone (Pred) and corticosterone (Cort), which exhibited different biopotencies were compared in vitro. cytosols labelled with 3H-Dex, 3H-Pred and 3H-Cort from the rat liver prepared by incubation at 0 degrees C for 16 hr were bound to isolated liver nuclei in rates of approximately 25%, 9% and 1% of added radioactivity, respectively. Nuclear binding rates observed were correlated with biopotencies of these steroids. Time course studies of the cytosol binding revealed that the difference in the nuclear binding ability of these ligands was attributable, at least in part, to the metabolic transformation of ligands during the incubation period. A significant portion of 3H-Pred and 3H-Cort was transformed to polar metabolite(s) even under the incubation conditions at 0 degrees C. Kd's of the cytosol binding to 3H-Dex which was metabolically stable were decreased with the length of incubation time, significantly lower Kd being observed in the cytosol incubated for 16 hr than in those incubated for 2 and 6 hr. Kd's and the number of maximum binding sites were erratic when the ligands received biotransformation during the course of incubation. Transformed 3H-Pred and 3H-Cort during the incubation still exhibited features of the protein bound state. Besides biotransformation of ligands, structure related difference in the nuclear binding ability of these glucocorticoids was also observed. These observations suggest that metabolic susceptibility as well as structure related ability of the nuclear binding may contribute to the biopotency of glucocorticoids.     

Characteristics of glucocorticoid-binding by inflammatory tissue of rats

Glucocorticoid-binding activities of the granuloma cytosol were compared with those of the liver cytosol and of the serum in vitro. The granuloma cytosol bound cortisol (HC) about 4-fold higher than dexamethasone (DX) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA); the liver cytosol bound these two synthetic agonists more than HC. The kinetic parameters of the glucocorticoid-binding components of the granuloma and the liver cytosols were studied by the Scatchard method. The binding components of the granuloma cytosol had a single class of binding sites with high affinity for these three steroids, whereas the binding site of the liver cytosol had negative cooperativity or consisted of two distinct classes, because its Scatchard plot showed a hyperbolic curve. The granuloma glucocorticoid-binding components will be protein since their binding was prevented by a trypsin treatment and completely lost by heating at 60 C for 5 min. Heating at 25 or 37 degrees C for 30 min did not affect the HC-binding activity of the granuloma cytosol, regardless of prelabeling with the steroid. The binding activity for DX and TA were heat-labile and completely lost by heating the cytosol at 37 degrees C for 30 min without the respective steroid. The results of thermal inactivation and ammonium sulfate fractionation show the granuloma HC-binding protein closely resembles corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG). From enzymatic determination of hemoglobin in tissue cytosols, attribution of the contaminating blood to the HC-binding activity of the cytosol is considered to be negligible.     

Interaction of snake venom cardiotoxin (a membrane-disruptive polypeptide) with human erythrocytes

The action of 7.2 µM cardiotoxin on 0.25% human erythrocytes in a plasma extender solution was studied by the interaction of toxin with intact red blood cells and subsequent hemolysis of the cells. The binding of toxin to cells was completed within 10 min, whereas the membrane rigidity was weakened in a non-lytic period for about 25 min. The toxin molecules bound almost exclusively to the membrane. The bound toxin could not be liberated with either 0.5% Triton X-100 or 0.1 N NaOH. The degree of binding was slightly reduced in the presence of 10 mM mono- and divalent inorganic salts. The action of toxin might weaken the in situ association of several proteins that are linked with band 3 protein of the membrane, thus making the cells fragile and altering the shape of the cell to a smooth sphere.     

Cell surface receptors and their dynamics on toxin-treated malignant cells

The binding, mobility, and mode of cell entry of the plant toxin ricin (or RCAII) were investigated on susceptible and partially resistant murine cell lines. When susceptible cells (SV40-transformed 3T3 fibroblast cells and BW5147 lymphoma cells) were examined, ricin bound rapidly, induced endocytosis, and entered the cell cytoplasm via broken endocytotic vesicles to inhibit cell protein synthesis, as found previously (1). Addition of lactose within 15 min after initial ricin binding prevented toxicity. After this time lactose addition no longer blocked the inhibition of protein synthesis. In a partially resistant lymphoma (BW5147/RCA3) that shows only a slight reduction in the total number of ricin-binding sites, ricin bound rapidly to the cell surface, but was endocytosed significantly less at low ricin doses compared to its parental line, indicating a possible difference in cell surface behavior. The exposed surface proteins on the BW5147 parental and BW5147/RCA3 resistant lines were examined by ¹²⁵I-labeling utilizing lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination. The radiolabeled components were solubilized and separated by slab gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Autoradiograms of the slab gels indicated that two surface components of approximately 80,000 and 35,000 mol wt were much less exposed or were missing on the resistant line.     

Mitochondrial metabolism of hydroxocobalamin: synthesis of adenosylcobalamin by intact rat liver mitochondria.

When free hydroxocobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) is added in vitro to a suspension of intact rat liver mitochondria in the presence of a source of both reducing equivalents and ATP, adenosylcobalamin synthesis is observed. This synthetic process is not dependent on electron transport or oxidative phosphorylation and is not detected when cyanocobalamin is substituted for hydroxocobalamin. Adenosylcobalamin synthesis is linear with time for at least 10 min and with hydroxocobalamin concentration up to 37 nm. At the latter concentration of hydroxocobalamin, the rate of synthesis at 37 °C is 0.26 pmol/min/mg of protein. Only part (<30%) of the newly synthesized adenosylcobalamin is bound to the mitochondrial cobalamin binding protein, whereas most (90%) of the concurrently accumulated hydroxocobalamin is bound. On the other hand, when adenosylcobalamin is added to a suspension of intact mitochondria, it is accumulated at a rate similar to that for hydroxocobalamin, and is bound to the mitochondrial binding protein to a similar extent. These findings indicate that rat liver mitochondria contain all of the enzymatic components necessary to convert hydroxocobalamin to adenosylcobalamin, the coenzyme for the mitochondrial enzyme methylmalonyl CoA mutase.     

Differential interaction of lecithin-retinol acyltransferase with cellular retinol binding proteins.

Esterification of retinol (vitamin A alcohol) with long-chain fatty acids by lecithin-retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) is an important step in both the absorption and storage of vitamin A. Retinol in cells is bound by either cellular retinol binding protein (CRBP), present in most tissues including liver, or cellular retinol binding protein type II [CRBP(II)], present in the absorptive cell of the small intestine. Here we investigated whether retinol must dissociate from these carrier proteins in order to serve as a substrate for LRAT by comparing Michaelis constants for esterification of retinol presented either free or bound. Esterification of free retinol by both liver and intestinal LRAT resulted in Km values (0.63 and 0.44 microM, respectively) similar to those obtained for esterification of retinol-CRBP (0.20 and 0.78 microM, respectively) and esterification of retinol-CRBP(II) (0.24 and 0.32 microM, respectively). Because Kd values for retinol-CRBP and retinol-CRBP(II) are 10(-8)-10-(-10) M, these similar Km values indicated prior dissociation is not required and that direct binding protein-enzyme interaction must occur. Evidence for such interaction was obtained when apo-CRBP proved to be a potent competitive inhibitor of LRAT, with a KI (0.21 microM) lower than the Km for CRBP-retinol (0.78 microM). Apo-CRBP(II), in contrast, was a poor competitor for esterification of retinol bound to CRBP(II). Apo-CRBP reacted with 4 mM p-(chloromercuri)benzenesulfonic acid lost retinol binding ability but retained the ability to inhibit LRAT, confirming that the inhibition could not be explained by a reduction in the concentration of free retinol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Neutrophil activation by surface bound IgG is via a pertussis toxin insensitive G protein

Pre-treatment of neutrophils with either pertussis or cholera toxins does not inhibit neutrophil activation by surface bound IgG. In contrast, pretreatment with the phorbol ester, phorbol myristate acetate, results in a dose dependent inhibition of degranulation by surface bound IgG. This inhibition is similar to that seen with soluble ligands where it is thought to be due to interference with the interaction of an activated guanine nucleotide binding protein with phospholipase C (J. Biol. Chem.,262,6121,1987). More directly, GTP binding and GTPase activity are enhanced when human neutrophil membranes are incubated in wells containing surface bound IgG. Neither of these G protein functions were inhibited when membranes were prepared in the presence of pertussis toxin, suggesting that neutrophil activation by surface bound IgG proceeds by a mechanism that involves a pertussis toxin insensitive G protein.     

Structure-Activity Relationships of Benzbromarone Metabolites and Derivatives as EYA Inhibitory Anti-Angiogenic Agents

The tyrosine phosphatase activity of the phosphatase-transactivator protein Eyes Absent (EYA) is angiogenic through its roles in endothelial cell migration and tube formation. Benzbromarone, a known anti-gout agent, was previously identified as an inhibitor of EYA with anti-angiogenic properties. Here we show that the major metabolite of BBR, 6-hydroxy benzbromarone, is a significantly more potent inhibitor of cell migration, tubulogenesis and angiogenic sprouting. In contrast, other postulated metabolites of BBR such as 5-hydroxy benzbromaorne and 1’-hydroxy benzbromarone are less potent inhibitors of EYA tyrosine phosphatase activity as well as being less effective in cellular assays for endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Longer substituents at the 2 position of the benzofuran ring promoted EYA3 binding and inhibition, but were less effective in cellular assays, likely reflecting non-specific protein binding and a resulting reduction in free, bio-available inhibitor. The observed potency of 6-hydroxy benzbromarone is relevant in the context of the potential re-purposing of benzbromarone and its derivatives as anti-angiogenic agents. 6-hydroxy benzbromarone represents a metabolite with a longer half-life and greater pharmacological potency than the parent compound, suggesting that biotransformation of benzbromarone could contribute to its therapeutic activity.     

Uptake of iodinated human kidney alpha-D-mannosidase by rat liver- Association with membrane elements and stability in vivo and in vitro.

1. Human kidney alpha-D-mannosidase (form A) was labelled with 125I to a specific radio-activity of approx. 2250muCi/mg of protein, essentially without loss of enzymic activity. The enzymic activity and radioactivity of the iodinated material also co-migrated in gel filtration and gel electrophoresis. 2. The binding of 125I-labelled mannosidase in vitro to particulate material in liver and kidney homogenates was of the other of 2 pg/mg of particulate material in liver and kidney homogenates was of the order of 2pg/mg of particulate protein withing 16h at 37 degrees C, and essentially zero in intervals of up to 60 min. The degradation in vitro of labelled exogenous mannosidase was of the order of 10-20pg/ 16th per mg of protein in postnuclear supernatant, and it was saturated entirely within 1h at 37 degrees C. 3. The binding of labelled mannosidase in vivo to particulate elements of liver homogenates 60 min after intravenous injection was at least 10 times higher in terms of specific radioactivity than the highest value attainable in vitro. Virtually all exogenous enzyme bound to liver particulate material could be recovered in macromolecular form after disruption of membranes by detergents. 4. The radioactive enzyme bound to liver particulate material could be detached almost completely by shearing, repeated freezing and thawing, and exposure to strong detergents under conditions that do not eliminate rough-endoplasmic-membrane structure. It could bot be released, however, by high salt concentration (0.5M-KC1) or by exposure to weak detergents such as Tween 80. The particle-bound enzyme should thus be associated with plasma membranes and lysosome-like elements. 5. Of the rat tissues studied, only liver could approach, within 60 min after the injection, the concentration of exogenous mannosidase found in the blood serum. The activity per g tissue weight fell progressively from liver (60% of serum value) to kidney (16% of serum value), lung (8% of serum vlaue), spleen (6% of serum value) and brain (0.9% of serum value). Most of the radioactive enzyme found in tissues other than liver appeared to be present in a free form, whereas in liver more than 50% of the labelled enzyme was associated with membrane elements.     

Characterization of glucagon receptors in Golgi fractions of rat liver: evidence for receptors that are uncoupled from adenylyl cyclase

Glucagon receptors have been identified and characterized in intermediate (Gi) and heavy (Gh) Golgi fractions from rat liver. At saturation, plasma membranes bound 3500 fmol of hormone/mg of membrane protein, while Gi and Gh bound 24 and 60 fmol of 125I-glucagon/mg of protein, respectively. Half-maximal saturation of binding to plasma membranes, Gi, and Gh occurred at approximately 4, 10, and 20 nM 125I-glucagon, respectively. Trichloroacetic acid precipitation of intact, but not degraded, glucagon was used to correct binding isotherms for hormone degradation. After such correction, half-maximal saturation of binding to plasma membranes, Gi, and Gh was observed in the presence of approximately 2, 7, and 14 nM hormone, respectively. After 90 min of dissociation in the absence of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP), 86% of 125I-glucagon remained bound to plasma membranes, whereas only 42% remained bound to Golgi membranes. GTP significantly increased the fraction of 125I-glucagon released from plasma membranes but only slightly augmented the dissociation of hormone from Golgi fractions. 125I-Glucagon/receptor complexes solubilized from plasma membranes fractionated by gel filtration as high molecular weight (Kav = 0.16), GTP-sensitive complexes and lower molecular weight (Kav = 0.46), GTP-insensitive complexes. 125I-Glucagon complexes solubilized from Golgi membranes fractionated almost exclusively as the lower molecular weight species. The lower affinity of Golgi than plasma membrane receptors for hormone, the ability of glucagon to stimulate plasma membrane, but not Golgi membrane, adenylyl cyclase, and the near absence of high molecular weight, GTP-sensitive complexes in solubilized Golgi membranes demonstrate that plasma membrane contamination of Golgi fractions cannot account for the 125I-glucagon binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)