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Properties of the kainate channel in rat brain mRNA injected Xenopus oocytes: ionic selectivity and blockage

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Abstract

The properties of kainate receptor/channels were studied in Xenopus oocytes injected with mRNA that was isolated from adult rat striatum and cerebellum and partially purified by sucrose gradient fractionation. Kainate (3–1000 µ.M) induced a smooth inward current that was competitively inhibted by gamma-D-glutamyl-aminomethanesulfonate (GAMS, 300 µM). In striatal mRNA-injected oocytes, the kainate current displayed nearly linear voltage-dependence and mean reversal potential (Er) of -6.1 ± 0.5 mV In cerebellar mRNA-injected oocytes; Er was nearly identical (-5.1 ± 1.2 mV) but there was marked inward rectification of the kainate current. Ion replacement studies reveal that the kainate channel is selective for cations over anions, but relatively non-selective among small monovalent cations. Large monovalent cations such as tetrabutylammonium are impermeant and induce a non-competitive block of kainate current that is strongly voltage-dependent. Divalent cations are relatively impermeant in the kainate channel and Cd++ and other polyvalent metals were shown to block kainate current by a mechanism that is only weakly voltage-dependent. A model of the kainate channel is proposed based upon these observations.

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Author notes

  1. John C. R. Randle

    Present address: Institut de Recherche International Servier - FONDAX, 7, rue Ampère, rue Ampère, 92800, Puteaux, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cellulaire et Moleculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    John C. R. Randle, Philippe Vernier & Elizabeth Brault

  2. I.B.C.N., C.N.R.S., 1 rue Camil Saint-Saens, 33007, Bordeaux, Cedex, France

    Anne-Marie Garrigues

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  1. John C. R. Randle
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  3. Anne-Marie Garrigues
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  4. Elizabeth Brault
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Randle, J.C.R., Vernier, P., Garrigues, AM. et al. Properties of the kainate channel in rat brain mRNA injected Xenopus oocytes: ionic selectivity and blockage. Mol Cell Biochem 80, 121–132 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00231010

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