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1: J Biol Chem. 2005 Feb 25;280(8):6392-8. Epub 2004 Dec 3.
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A family of acetylcholine-gated chloride channel subunits in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Putrenko I, Zakikhani M, Dent JA.

Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1B1, Canada.

The genome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a surprisingly large and diverse superfamily of genes encoding Cys loop ligand-gated ion channels. Here we report the first cloning, expression, and pharmacological characterization of members of a family of anion-selective acetylcholine receptor subunits. Two subunits, ACC-1 and ACC-2, form homomeric channels for which acetylcholine and arecoline, but not nicotine, are efficient agonists. These channels are blocked by d-tubocurarine but not by alpha-bungarotoxin. We provide evidence that two additional subunits, ACC-3 and ACC-4, interact with ACC-1 and ACC-2. The acetylcholine-binding domain of these channels appears to have diverged substantially from the acetylcholine-binding domain of nicotinic receptors.

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PMID: 15579462 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]