Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-2-12
pubmed:abstractText
alpha-Latrotoxin is a potent neurotoxin from black widow spider venom that binds to presynaptic receptors and causes massive neurotransmitter release. A surprising finding was the biochemical description of two distinct cell surface proteins that bind alpha-latrotoxin with nanomolar affinities; Neurexin I alpha binds alpha-latrotoxin in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, and CIRL/latrophilin binds in a Ca(2+)-independent manner. We have now generated and analyzed mice that lack neurexin I alpha to test its importance in alpha-latrotoxin action. alpha-Latrotoxin binding to brain membranes from mutant mice was decreased by almost 50% compared with wild type membranes; the decrease was almost entirely due to a loss of Ca(2+)-dependent alpha-latrotoxin binding sites. In cultured hippocampal neurons, alpha-latrotoxin was still capable of activating neurotransmission in the absence of neurexin I alpha. Direct measurements of [3H]glutamate release from synaptosomes, however, showed a major decrease in the amount of release triggered by alpha-latrotoxin in the presence of Ca2+. Thus neurexin I alpha is not essential for alpha-latrotoxin action but contributes to alpha-latrotoxin action when Ca2+ is present. Viewed as a whole, our results show that mice contain two distinct types of alpha-latrotoxin receptors with similar affinities and abundance but different properties and functions. The action of alpha-latrotoxin may therefore be mediated by independent parallel pathways, of which the CIRL/latrophilin pathway is sufficient for neurotransmitter release, whereas the neurexin I alpha pathway contributes to the Ca(2+)-dependent action of alpha-latrotoxin.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
16
pubmed:volume
273
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1705-10
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Neurexin I alpha is a major alpha-latrotoxin receptor that cooperates in alpha-latrotoxin action.
pubmed:affiliation
Max-Planck-Institut für Experimentelle Medizin, Göttingen, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't