title: The polyether Bistramide A affects the calcium sensitivity of the contractile proteins in frog atrial heart muscle.
abstract: The effects of Bistramide A, a new toxin isolated from the Urochordate Lissoclinum bistratum Sluiter have been studied on the mechanical activity of frog heart atrial muscle preparations. The peak tension of isolated trabeculae was sensitive to nanomolar concentrations of Bistramide A. Lineweaver-Burk relationships suggest that Bistramide A competes with Ca for a common site. In voltage-clamped trabeculae, the toxin inhibited both the cadmium-sensitive Ca current and the phasic component of the tension with a dissociation constant of 3.3 microM and a stoichiometry of 2. Bistramide A decreased the isometric tension of skinned fibres in a dose-dependent manner with a dissociation constant of 400 nM and a stoichiometry of 2. The toxin reduced the maximum Ca activated force and decreased the sensitivity of the contractile proteins to Ca. The data suggest that Bistramide A decreases the Ca-sensitivity of contractile proteins prior to blocking the Ca current.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire, URA CNRS 1121, Université de Paris XI, Orsay, France.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sauviat
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chesnais
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choukri
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diacono
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Biard
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Verbist
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides; D000818:Animals; D016275:Atrial Function; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011714:Pyrans; D011893:Rana esculenta; D013141:Spiro Compounds
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011714:Pyrans; D013141:Spiro Compounds; C059975:bistratene A; D002118:Calcium