title: Amino acid-activated channels in the catfish taste system.
abstract: Membrane vesicles derived from external taste epithelia of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were incorporated into lipid bilayers on the tips of patch pipettes. Consistent with previous experiments (Teeter, J. H., J. G. Brand, and T. Kumazawa. 1990. Biophys. J. 58:253-259), micromolar (0.5-200 microM) concentrations of L-arginine (L-Arg), a potent taste stimulus for catfish, activated a nonselective cation conductance in some bilayers, which was antagonized by D-Arg. Two classes of L-Arg-gated receptor/channels were observed in reconstituted taste epithelial membranes: one with a unitary conductance of 40-60 pS, and the other with a conductance of 75-100 pS. A separate class of nonselective cation channels, with a conductance of 50-65 pS, was activated by high concentrations of L-proline (L-Pro) (0.1-3 mM), which is the range necessary to elicit neural responses in catfish taste fibers. The L-Pro-activated channels were not affected by either L- or D-Arg, but were blocked by millimolar concentrations of D-Pro. Conversely, neither L- nor D-Pro altered the activity of either class of L-Arg-activated channels, which were blocked by micromolar concentrations of D-Arg. These results are consistent with biochemical, neurophysiological, and behavioral studies indicating that taste responses of channel catfish to L-Arg are mediated by high-affinity receptors that are part of or closely coupled to nonselective cation channels directly gated by low concentrations of L-Arg, while responses to L-Pro are mediated by distinct, low-affinity receptors also associated with nonselective cation channels.
authors.affiliation: Monell Chemical Senses Center, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumazawa
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Teeter
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D007059:Ictaluridae / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007473:Ion Channels; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D001120:Arginine; D011392:Proline