Title Information
Title
Alpha-Bungarotoxin as a tool for exploring naturally insensitive ion channels
Name: Personal
Name Part
Liu, Jing
Role
Role Term: Text
creator
Origin Information
Copyright Date (keyDate="yes", encoding="w3cdtf")
2009
Physical Description
Extent
xx, 195 p.
digitalOrigin
born digital
Note
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Brown University (2010)
Name: Personal
Name Part
Hawrot, Edward
Role
Role Term: Text
director
Name: Personal
Name Part
Zimmerman, Anita
Role
Role Term: Text
reader
Name: Personal
Name Part
Kauer, Julie
Role
Role Term: Text
reader
Name: Personal
Name Part
Bowen, Wayne
Role
Role Term: Text
reader
Name: Personal
Name Part
Jacob, Michele
Role
Role Term: Text
reader
Name: Corporate
Name Part
Brown University. Division of Biology and Medicine. Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology
Role
Role Term: Text
sponsor
Genre (aat)
theses
Abstract
In this thesis,alpha-bungarotoxin (Bgtx) was validated as a tool for exploring the function and regulation of three otherwise Bgtx-insensitive ion channels: the first is a transgenic mouse model featuring a genetic modified neuronal nicotinic alpha3 subunit; the second is voltage-gated potassium Kv4.2 channel; the third is a subtype of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) containing alpha1beta2 subunits. The findings of this thesis are summarized below. a) We devised a novel genetic knock-in mouse model with a modified neuronal nicotinic alpha3 subunit. The alpha3 subunit bears 5 amino acid substitutions (alpha3/alpha1[5]), which confer a functional sensitivity to Bgtx. Using whole-cell patch clamp technique, the initial electrophysiological characterizations show that alpha3/alpha1[5]-containing receptors were functionally expressed and readily identifiable in cultured dissociated mouse superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons. Moreover, its pharmacological and biophysical properties are also largely unaltered at the macroscopic level. b) To better understand the trafficking mechanisms that regulate voltage-gated Kv4.2 channel and to facilitate its fluorescence imaging of the channels in neurons, a short Bgtx binding sequence HAP, was introduced into the extracellular loop of the channel. The results show that Bgtx binds specifically to HAP-tagged Kv4.2 expressed in mammalian cells and primary neuron cultures. The data also show that the introduced Bgtx binding sequence is functionally well-tolerated. c) Using two-electrode voltage clamp measurements, we show that Bgtx also binds to and blocks a subtype of un-modified GABAARs expressed in oocytes, containing solely alpha1 and beta2 subunits. These results may also introduce a previously unrecognized tool for analysis of GABAARs.
Subject (Local)
Topic
alpha-bungarotoxin
Subject (Local)
Topic
nicotinic receptor
Subject (Local)
Topic
voltage gated potassium channel
Subject (Local)
Topic
GABA type A receptor
Subject (FAST) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/978573")
Topic
Ion channels
Record Information
Record Content Source (marcorg)
RPB
Record Creation Date (encoding="iso8601")
20091218
Language
Language Term: Code (ISO639-2B)
eng
Language Term: Text
English
Identifier: DOI
10.7301/Z0FF3QMG
Access Condition: rights statement (href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/")
In Copyright
Access Condition: restriction on access
Collection is open for research.
Type of Resource (primo)
dissertations