Dynamic properties of isolated acetylcholine receptor protein: kinetics of the binding of acetylcholine and Ca ions.

Kinetic and thermodynamic constants for elementary steps associated with the interaction of acetylcholine (AcCh) and Ca with isolated AcCh receptor from Torpedo californica have been determined by chemical relaxation spectrometry. Murexide as used as a Ca indicator to monitor changes in Ca bound to the AcCh receptor. In the presence of AcCh this technique permits an indirect monitoring of AcCh binding, because the AcCh and the Ca binding reactions are competitively coupled. A temperature-jump perturbation in the Camurexide-AcCh receptor system induces a spectrum of relaxation processes characterized by at least three relaxation times: tau1 = 5 (+/-1) msec; tau2 = 35 (+/-5) msec; and tau3 = 300 (+/-30) msec. In the presence of AcCh, the Ca relaxation spectrum is altered in a characteristic way. A formalism is developed to describe the normal mode relaxation times of the coupled reaction system in terms of total concentrations of both AcCh and receptor binding sites. The analysis also allows one to determine the stoichiometry of the reactions involved or to estimate a molecular weight of the AcCh receptor. The kinetic data suggest that the reaction of AcCh with receptor proceeds in at least two steps. The rate constant of the association of AcCh with receptor was found to be 2.4(+/-0.5) X 10(7) M-1 sec-1 at 23.5 degrees, 0.1 M NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.5. Reaction schemes consistent with the present kinetic data are discussed in terms of physiocochemical model that accounts for the rapid transient conductivity changes in excitable membranes during nerve and muscle excitation.