blepharismin and 1-2-diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine

blepharismin has been researched along with 1-2-diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine* in 1 studies

Other Studies

1 other study(ies) available for blepharismin and 1-2-diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine

Article	Year
Blepharismins, produced by the protozoan, Blepharisma japonicum, form ion-permeable channels in planar lipid bilayer membranes. FEBS letters, 2001, Nov-23, Volume: 508, Issue:3 Blepharismins are polycyclic quinones found in the pigment granules of the ciliated protozoan, Blepharisma. Exposure to purified blepharismins results in lethal damage to several other ciliates. We here report that, at cytotoxic concentrations, blepharismins formed cation-selective channels in planar phospholipid bilayer membranes. The channels formed in a diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer had a K(+)/Cl(-) permeability ratio of 6.6:1. Single channel recordings revealed the conductance to be quite heterogeneous, ranging from 0.2 to 2.8 nS in solutions containing 0.1 M KCl, possibly reflecting different states of aggregation of blepharismin. Our observations suggest that channel formation is a cytotoxic mechanism of blepharismin's action against predatory protozoa. Topics: Animals; Chlorides; Ciliophora; Electric Conductivity; Electrophysiology; Ion Channels; Lipid Bilayers; Permeability; Perylene; Phosphatidylcholines; Potassium	2001

Article

Year

Blepharismins, produced by the protozoan, Blepharisma japonicum, form ion-permeable channels in planar lipid bilayer membranes.

FEBS letters, 2001, Nov-23, Volume: 508, Issue:3

Blepharismins are polycyclic quinones found in the pigment granules of the ciliated protozoan, Blepharisma. Exposure to purified blepharismins results in lethal damage to several other ciliates. We here report that, at cytotoxic concentrations, blepharismins formed cation-selective channels in planar phospholipid bilayer membranes. The channels formed in a diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer had a K(+)/Cl(-) permeability ratio of 6.6:1. Single channel recordings revealed the conductance to be quite heterogeneous, ranging from 0.2 to 2.8 nS in solutions containing 0.1 M KCl, possibly reflecting different states of aggregation of blepharismin. Our observations suggest that channel formation is a cytotoxic mechanism of blepharismin's action against predatory protozoa.

Topics: Animals; Chlorides; Ciliophora; Electric Conductivity; Electrophysiology; Ion Channels; Lipid Bilayers; Permeability; Perylene; Phosphatidylcholines; Potassium

2001