title: Sodium flux ratio in Na/K pump-channels opened by palytoxin.
abstract: Palytoxin binds to Na(+)/K(+) pumps in the plasma membrane of animal cells and opens an electrodiffusive cation pathway through the pumps. We investigated properties of the palytoxin-opened channels by recording macroscopic and microscopic currents in cell bodies of neurons from the giant fiber lobe, and by simultaneously measuring net current and (22)Na(+) efflux in voltage-clamped, internally dialyzed giant axons of the squid Loligo pealei. The conductance of single palytoxin-bound "pump-channels" in outside-out patches was approximately 7 pS in symmetrical 500 mM [Na(+)], comparable to findings in other cells. In these high-[Na(+)], K(+)-free solutions, with 5 mM cytoplasmic [ATP], the K(0.5) for palytoxin action was approximately 70 pM. The pump-channels were approximately 40-50 times less permeable to N-methyl-d-glucamine (NMG(+)) than to Na(+). The reversal potential of palytoxin-elicited current under biionic conditions, with the same concentration of a different permeant cation on each side of the membrane, was independent of the concentration of those ions over the range 55-550 mM. In giant axons, the Ussing flux ratio exponent (n') for Na(+) movements through palytoxin-bound pump-channels, over a 100-400 mM range of external [Na(+)] and 0 to -40 mV range of membrane potentials, averaged 1.05 +/- 0.02 (n = 28). These findings are consistent with occupancy of palytoxin-bound Na(+)/K(+) pump-channels either by a single Na(+) ion or by two Na(+) ions as might be anticipated from other work; idiosyncratic constraints are needed if the two Na(+) ions occupy a single-file pore, but not if they occupy side-by-side binding sites, as observed in related structures, and if only one of the sites is readily accessible from both sides of the membrane.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA. rakowski@ohio.edu
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Rakowski
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Artigas
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holmgren
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Weer
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Gadsby
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D049834:Loligo; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D010042:Ouabain; D011188:Potassium; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; C010272:palytoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins