title: Alpha-latrotoxin triggers an increase of ionized calcium in Xenopus oocytes injected with rat brain mRNA.
abstract: When Xenopus oocytes are injected with rat brain mRNA, they acquire the ability to respond to bath applied alpha-latrotoxin. This spider venom toxin is normally highly selective for nerve endings, where its binding is associated with a high-frequency, quantal discharge of neurotransmitter. By 'transplanting' toxin acceptor sites to Xenopus oocytes, we have observed both a toxin-mediated rise in cellular ionized Ca along with the triggering of a calcium-dependent chloride channel in these cells. This approach may contribute both to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of this toxin and to efforts to clone the cDNA for this binding site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, UCLA School of Medicine 90024-1735.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Umbach
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gundersen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D001180:Arthropod Venoms; D009498:Neurotoxins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013111:Spider Venoms; C020763:alpha-latrotoxin; D002118:Calcium