Fusion of negatively charged phospholipid vesicles by α-latrotoxin

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 266; no. 1; pp. 99 - 101
• Main Authors: Lishko, V.K, Terletskaya, Ya.T, Trikash, I.O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 18.06.1990; Elsevier
• Subjects: alpha -latrotoxin; Arthropod Venoms; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Calcium; Cations, Divalent - pharmacology; Cell fusion (prokaryotes); Chl, chlorophyll; CL, cardiolipin; DPA, dipicolinic acid; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic engineering; Genetic technics; Hepes, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid; In Vitro Techniques; Liposome; Liposomes; LTX, α-latrotoxin; Membrane Fusion; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; PC, phosphatidylcholine; PE, phosphatidylethanolamine; Phospholipids; Spider Venoms; α-Latrotoxin; α-Latrotoxin; LTX, α-latrotoxin; PC, phosphatidylcholine; Membrane fusion; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Liposome; CL, cardiolipin; PE, phosphatidylethanolamine; Hepes, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid; DPA, dipicolinic acid; Chl, chlorophyll; Synapse; Induction; Fluorescent labelling; Phospholipid; Artificial membrane; Kinetics; Emission spectrum
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(90)81516-Q

α-Latrotoxin-induced fusion of liposomes has been described using large unilamellar vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/cardiolipin at a molar ratio of 2:3:5. Vesicle fusion was monitored by terbium/dipicolinic acid assay as well as by fluorescence energy transfer measurement. The enhancement of the fusogenic effect of LTX by low concentrations (0.1–3 mM) of CaCl 2 has been demonstrated. The efficiency of other divalent cations on the LTX fusogenic activity was shown to decrease in the sequence Ca > Cd > Sr > Mg > Ba. LTX-induced fusion was accompanied by the increase of vesicle size measured by laser correlation spectroscopy. It is concluded that fusogenic action of LTX may be involved in its effect on synaptic apparatus.