Identification of the receptor for omega-conotoxin in brain. Probable components of the calcium channel.

Recently omega-conotoxin GVIA was shown to specifically block neuronal and other calcium channels. In this work, an azidonitrobenzoyl derivative of mono-[125I]iodo-omega-conotoxin GVIA was used to identify the components of its receptor site in synaptic plasma membrane by photoaffinity labeling. Components of Mr approximately equal to 310,000, approximately equal to 230,000, and 34,000 were specifically photolabeled. The characteristics of photolabeling of these three components were consistent with those of the specific binding of omega-conotoxin GVIA to synaptic plasma membrane with respect to the effects of metal ions, conventional calcium antagonists, and an agonist (1,4-dihydropyridines, verapamil, and diltiazem, etc.), omega-conotoxins GVIIA and GVIIB. Furthermore, the distribution of these three components in subcellular fractions from rat brain as estimated by photolabeling was in good agreement with that of the specific binding of omega-conotoxin GVIA to its receptor. These findings indicate that the components of Mr approximately equal to 310,000, approximately equal to 240,000, and 34,000 are the receptor for omega-conotoxin GVIA and suggest that these components are constituents of the voltage-sensitive calcium channel in brain. No specific photolabeling was observed in the plasma membrane of human erythrocytes, probably indicating the absence of the receptor for omega-conotoxin GVIA in the membrane.