title: Multiple dystrophin isoforms are associated with the postsynaptic membrane of Torpedo electric organ.
abstract: We have shown previously that dystrophin is a component of postsynaptic membranes in Torpedo electric organ and is localized at mammalian neuromuscular synapses. In skeletal muscle, dystrophin is also detectable at the non-synaptic membrane of the myofiber, whereas in the electric organ, dystrophin is strictly localized to the postsynaptic membrane, and is not detectable in non-synaptic membranes. Multiple isoforms of dystrophin are present in skeletal muscle, and different isoforms could potentially be targetted to synaptic and non-synaptic membranes. We sought to determine whether the electric organ contains a single, or multiple isoforms of dystrophin, and we show here that the electric organ contains both a and b isoforms of dystrophin. Because dystrophin is found only at the postsynaptic membrane of the electric organ, we conclude that the two isoforms coexist in the postsynaptic membrane.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ravin
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yeadon
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Burden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000737:chemistry*; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D014101:Torpedo / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D016189:Dystrophin