Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Synthetic peptides used to locate the. cap alpha. -bungarotoxin binding site and immunogenic regions on. cap alpha. subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Journal Article · · Biochemistry; (United States)
OSTI ID:6178312

Synthetic peptides corresponding to 57% of the sequence of ..cap alpha.. subunits of acetylcholine receptors from Torpedo californica electric organ and extending from the NH/sub 2/ to the COOCH terminus have been synthesized. The ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin binding site on denatured ..cap alpha.. subunits was mapped within the sequence ..cap alpha..185-199 by assaying binding of /sup 125/I-..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin to slot blots of synthetic peptides. Further studies showed that residues in the sequence ..cap alpha..190-194, especially cysteines-..cap alpha..192,193, were critical for binding ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin. Reduction and alkylation studies suggested that these cysteines must be disulfide linked for ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin to bind. Binding sites for serum antibodies to native receptors or ..cap alpha.. subunits were mapped by indirect immunoprecipitation of /sup 125/I-peptides. Several antigenic sequences were identified, but a synthetic peptide corresponding to the main immunogenic region (which is highly conformation dependent) was not identified.

Research Organization:
Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA
OSTI ID:
6178312
Journal Information:
Biochemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (United States) Vol. 26:12; ISSN BICHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English