Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 3, 549-556, Copyright © 1983 by Society for Neuroscience
Chemical characteristics of the L-glutamate receptor on the Onchidium neuron
M Kato, Y Oomura, J Maruhashi and N Shimizu
Application of L-glutamate (L-glu) to particular neurons (G-H cells) in the
esophageal ganglia of Onchidium produced hyperpolarization associated with
an increase in K+ permeability. The reversal potential (Erev) for this
response, was -60 mV. The ED50, an indicator of affinity between L-glu and
its receptive site, was 5.3 mM, and the Hill coefficient n, an indicator of
cooperativity, was 2. Other chemicals, structurally analogous to L-glu,
were also examined on G-H cells. The responses of L-aspartate were similar
to those of L-glu with respect to Erev, ED50, and n. However, the G-H cells
responded differently to D- glutamate (D-glu) and kainic acid. The D-glu
response had an Erev = - 37.5 mV, ED50 = 29.4 mM, and n = 1; that of kainic
acid had an Erev = 0 mV, ED50 = 1.5 mM, and n = 1. L-glutamine and GABA
elicited very small responses, amplitudes of which were less than 10% of
the L-glu response. The structure-activity relationship between L-glu and
its analogues, estimated from Erev, ED50, and Hill coefficient during each
drug application, indicates that the presence of alpha-NH2, alpha-COOH, and
gamma-COOH groups is essential for the L-glu response and that the response
characteristics may be closely related to the relative positions of these
groups.