α-TOXIN BINDING PROTEINS IN THE ELECTRIC ORGAN OF TORPEDO MARMORATA STUDIED BY IMMUNOCHEMICAL METHODS |
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| Authors: | C Mattsson E Heilbronn J Ramlau E Bock |
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| Institution: | Research Institute of the Swedish National Defence, Department 4;, S—172 04 Sundbyberg, Sweden Københavns Universitet, Proteinlaboratoriet, Sigurdsgade 34;, DK—2200 København N, Denmark |
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| Abstract: | —Crossed immunoelectrophoretic techniques were developed to study the efficiency of the various purification steps in the isolation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) from Torpedo mormorata electric organ. A new α-neurotoxin binding assay based on immunoelectrophoresis is also presented. In crude extracts of Torpedo electric organ membranes one type of receptor molecule (M ñ; 300 , 000) was found; an earlier described higher molecular form was shown to be an artifact of affinity chromatography. Polyvalent antibodies against Torpedo electroplaque membranes, antibodies against purified membrane proteins and against Naja naja siamensisα-neurotoxin revealed four α-neurotoxin binding antigens (including nAChR). Two of these, nAChR and T2, were specific for electroplaque membrane and showed partial immunoidentity but different biochemical and physical properties. |
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