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. 1974 Apr;71(4):1479–1483. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.4.1479

Reconstitution of a Chemically Excitable Membrane

Gerald L Hazelbauer 1, Jean-Pierre Changeux 1
PMCID: PMC388253  PMID: 4524651

Abstract

Membrane fragments rich in cholinergic (nicotinic) receptor sites, purified from homogenates of Torpedo marmorata electric organ, are dissolved in high concentrations of Na cholate and Tris buffer in the presence of Na ethylenediaminetetraacetate, without loss of the ability to bind Naja nigricollis [3H]α-toxin. After extensive dialysis to remove cholate, the solution is supplemented with crude lipids extracted from native membrane fragments and MgCl2-CaCl2 added dropwise to the mixture as a concentrated solution. The reconstituted membranes obtained retain 22Na+. Release of Na from these microsacs increases in the presence of carbamylcholine and the α-toxin from N. nigricollis blocks this effect.

Keywords: acetylcholine receptor, permeability control, membrane self-assembly

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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