title: Comparison of embryonic and adult torpedo acetylcholine receptor by sedimentation characteristics and antigenicity.
abstract: The acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo marmorata electric organ exists in a light form (α2βγδ) of apparent molecular weight 250,000. The association of two light forms via an intermolecular δ-δ disulfide bridge results in the AChR heavy form. In adult Torpedo electric organ extracts the heavy form constitutes about 70% of the AChR. We report that, in contrast, embryonic electric organ extracts contain only about 30% of the heavy form, the rest being light form. In addition, amongst a library of 38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), all of those that distinguished between embryonic and adult AChR did so only because they precipitated the heavy form of the AChR better than the light form.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holton
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Hellenic Pasteur Institut, Athens 618, Greece.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tzartos
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Changeux