Biomaterial Database

Dimeric structure of single chloride channels from Torpedo electroplax. 1984

C Miller, and M M White

The inhibition by 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate (DIDS) of Cl- channels from Torpedo electroplax incorporated in planar phospholipid bilayer membranes is studied. DIDS irreversibly and rapidly inhibits the macroscopic conductance of membranes containing many channels. At the single-channel level, the effect of DIDS is more complicated. The uninhibited single channel displays three "substates" of conductances 20, 10, and 0 pS. Short exposure (5-30 s) to 10 microM DIDS converts this three-level active channel into a "conventional" channel of 10-pS conductance. Longer exposure eliminates all channel fluctuations. The results are taken as strong evidence that the Cl- channel is constructed as a functional dimer of identical protein subunits.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007473	Ion Channels	Gated, ion-selective glycoproteins that traverse membranes. The stimulus for ION CHANNEL GATING can be due to a variety of stimuli such as LIGANDS, a TRANSMEMBRANE POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE, mechanical deformation or through INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING PEPTIDES AND PROTEINS.	Membrane Channels,Ion Channel,Ionic Channel,Ionic Channels,Membrane Channel,Channel, Ion,Channel, Ionic,Channel, Membrane,Channels, Ion,Channels, Ionic,Channels, Membrane
D002463	Cell Membrane Permeability	A quality of cell membranes which permits the passage of solvents and solutes into and out of cells.	Permeability, Cell Membrane
D002712	Chlorides	Inorganic compounds derived from hydrochloric acid that contain the Cl- ion.	Chloride,Chloride Ion Level,Ion Level, Chloride,Level, Chloride Ion
D004557	Electric Organ	In about 250 species of electric fishes, modified muscle fibers forming disklike multinucleate plates arranged in stacks like batteries in series and embedded in a gelatinous matrix. A large torpedo ray may have half a million plates. Muscles in different parts of the body may be modified, i.e., the trunk and tail in the electric eel, the hyobranchial apparatus in the electric ray, and extrinsic eye muscles in the stargazers. Powerful electric organs emit pulses in brief bursts several times a second. They serve to stun prey and ward off predators. A large torpedo ray can produce of shock of more than 200 volts, capable of stunning a human. (Storer et al., General Zoology, 6th ed, p672)	Electric Organs,Organ, Electric,Organs, Electric
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012856	4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid	A non-penetrating amino reagent (commonly called SITS) which acts as an inhibitor of anion transport in erythrocytes and other cells.	4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid, Disodium Salt,SITS,SITS Disodium Salt,4 Acetamido 4' isothiocyanatostilbene 2,2' disulfonic Acid,Disodium Salt, SITS
D014101	Torpedo	A genus of the Torpedinidae family consisting of several species. Members of this family have powerful electric organs and are commonly called electric rays.	Electric Rays,Torpedinidae,Rays, Electric
D046911	Macromolecular Substances	Compounds and molecular complexes that consist of very large numbers of atoms and are generally over 500 kDa in size. In biological systems macromolecular substances usually can be visualized using ELECTRON MICROSCOPY and are distinguished from ORGANELLES by the lack of a membrane structure.	Macromolecular Complexes,Macromolecular Compounds,Macromolecular Compounds and Complexes,Complexes, Macromolecular,Compounds, Macromolecular,Substances, Macromolecular
D017878	4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid	An inhibitor of anion conductance including band 3-mediated anion transport.	4,4'-Diisothiocyano-2,2'-Stilbene Disulfonic Acid,DIDS