Snake Venom To Acetylcholine Receptor

 

 

 

 

 Parasympathetic Innervation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nicotinic Acetyl Choline Receptor 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snake Venom Led To The Discovery Of Acetylcholine Receptor

Snake venom has been a rich source of reagents for neuroscience research. Venom from the many-banded krait, a species found in Taiwan and Southern China, led to the identificatio of the first neurotransmitter receptor. In 1963 Chang and Lee at the National Taiwan University isolated a toxin, known as alpha-bungarotoxin, that binds strongly to the receptor for acetylcholine, the main neurotransmitter at neuromuscular synapses. This toxin, used by snakes to paralyze their victims’ muscles, was used by researchers to purify the acetylcholine receptor, and is still widely used today to study the biology of synapses.

 

 

 

 

 

Three Finger Proteins From Snakes Acting On Acetyl Choline Receptor

 

 

 

 

 

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