Biomaterial Database

Potential-dependent alpha-latrotoxin interaction with black lipid membranes. 1992

A N Chanturia, and V K Lishko

Department of Neurochemistry, A.V. Palladin Biochemistry Institute, Kiev, Ukraine.

The influence of membrane potential on alpha-latrotoxin insertion into bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) has been investigated. It was found that positive potentials cis to toxin application stimulated the formation of channels in the bilayer. A two-step model of latrotoxin/membrane interaction is put forward to explain these data. In the first step, latrotoxin irreversibly binds to the bilayer without forming conductive structures. The second step of the process represents rapid insertion of the protein molecule into the bilayer with the formation of the conducting channel. We imagine the driving force for this process to be the interaction of charged groups in the toxin molecule with the electric field applied across the BLM. Our results are compared with known data on the interaction of LTX with synaptosomal membranes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008051	Lipid Bilayers	Layers of lipid molecules which are two molecules thick. Bilayer systems are frequently studied as models of biological membranes.	Bilayers, Lipid,Bilayer, Lipid,Lipid Bilayer
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D004553	Electric Conductivity	The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS.	Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D013111	Spider Venoms	Venoms of arthropods of the order Araneida of the ARACHNIDA. The venoms usually contain several protein fractions, including ENZYMES, hemolytic, neurolytic, and other TOXINS, BIOLOGICAL.	Araneid Venoms,Spider Toxin,Spider Toxins,Tarantula Toxin,Tarantula Toxins,Tarantula Venom,Araneid Venom,Spider Venom,Tarantula Venoms,Toxin, Spider,Toxin, Tarantula,Toxins, Spider,Toxins, Tarantula,Venom, Araneid,Venom, Spider,Venom, Tarantula,Venoms, Araneid,Venoms, Spider,Venoms, Tarantula