Selective Cation Movement across Lipid Bilayers Containing Brevetoxin B

摘要

The structures of a large number of polyether marine toxins with ladderlike skeletons are nipidly being elucidated. One of the earliest identified toxins of this type is brevetoxin B (BTX-B). the "red tide" toxin produced by dinoflagellates. However,despite the great interest in and importance of polvether marine toxins, the nature of their activity still remains largely unknown. In the case of BTX-B. specific binding to voltage-sensitive sodium channels (VSSC) implied that activation of VSSC is themode of action of brevetoxins. The results described in the following have disclosed a second, entirely new view regarding its mode of action: brevetoxin B presumably increases ion movement through cell membranes by transmembrane self-assembly.