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Comparison of embryonic and adult torpedo acetylcholine receptor by sedimentation characteristics and antigenicity
Author(s) -
Holton Beatrice,
Tzartos Socrates J.,
Changeux JeanPierre
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(84)90032-7
Subject(s) - torpedo , acetylcholine receptor , electric organ , monoclonal antibody , receptor , antigenicity , embryonic stem cell , disulfide bond , antibody , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , immunology , gene
The acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo marmorata electric organ exists in a light form (α 2 βγδ) 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.