Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

L-Glutamic Acid Receptors on Locust Muscle: Pharmacological Properties and Single Receptor Channel Studies

  • Chapter
Excitatory Amino Acids

  • 105 Accesses

Abstract

Although evidence that L-glutamic acid is a neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) is incomplete it is generally accepted that this amino acid is the mediator of transmission at arthropod nerve-muscle junctions (Usherwood, 1978, 1980a, b, 1981; Nistri & Constanti, 1979). Given the complexities of vertebrate central nervous organization compared with the arthropod nerve-muscle system it is perhaps unwise to compare their pharmacological properties without major qualifications. Recent electrophysiological evidence suggests the presence of three types of amino acid receptor for glutamate in the CNS; a quisqualate-responsive site: a N-methyl-D-aspartate-responsive site and a kainate-responsive site (Watkins & Evans, 1981). This conclusion is generally supported by the results of ligand binding studies (e.g. Foster & Roberts, 1978). The quisqualate-responsive receptor is considered by some to be the main neurotransmitter receptor for L-glutamic acid in the CNS. The pharmacology of glutamatergic systems in arthropods is also complicated and there are differences between species (Usherwood, 1978; Nistri & Constanti, 1979; Piek, 1985).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anis, N.A., Clark, R.B., Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1981). Influence of agonist on desensitization of glutamate receptors on locust muscle. J. Physiol. 312, 345–364.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Anis, N.A., Evans, M. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979). Plant lectins and desensitization of locust glutamate receptors. J. Physiol. 291, 47P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anwyl, R. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1974). Voltage clamp studies of glutamate synapse. Nature, 252, 591–593.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashford, L.J., Boden, P., Ramsey, R.L., Shinozaki, H. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1984). Voltage-dependent block by chlorisond-amine of glutamate channels in Schistocerca gregaria muscle fibres. J. Physiol. 357, 65P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, F., Sansom, M.S.P. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985). Clustering of single glutamate receptor-channel openings recorded from locust (Schistocerca gregaria) muscle. J. Physiol. 360, 66P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boden, P., Bycroft, B.W., Chhabra, S.R., Chiplin, J., Crawley, P.J., Grant, R.J., King, T.J., McDonald, E., Raferty, P. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985). Structureactivity studies of quis-qualic acid and related analogues at a defined glutamatergic synapse. (In preparation).

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R.B., Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979a). Responses to DL-ibotenic acid at locust glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions. Br. J. Pharmac. 66, 267–273.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R.B., Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979b). Desensitization of glutamate receptors on innervated and dener-vated locust muscle fibres. J. Physiol. 290, 551–568.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R.B., Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979c). Relative trophic influences of excitatory and inhibitory innervation of locust skeletal muscle fibres. Nature, 280, 679–682.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R.B., Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1980). Influence of glutamate and aspartate on the time course of decay of excitatory synaptic currents at locust neuromuscular junctions. Brain Res. 192, 205–216.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clements, A.N. and May, T. (1974). Pharmacological studies on locust neuromuscular preparation. J. exp. Biol. 61, 421–442.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colquhoun, D. and Hawkes, A.G. (1983). On the stochastic properties of single ion channels. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 199, 205–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, J., Ramsey, R.L. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985). Giga-ohm recordings of glutamate receptor-gated channels from locust muscle in vitro. J. Physiol. 361., 16P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cull-Candy, S.G., Miledi, R. and Parker, I. (1981). Single glutamate-activated channels recorded from locust muscle fibres with perfused patch electrodes. J. Physiol. 321, 195–210.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cull-Candy, S.G. and Miledi, R. (1983). Block of glutamate-activated synaptic channels by curare and galamine. Proc. R. Soc. B. 218, 111–118.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cull-Candy, S.G. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1973). Two populations of L-glutamate receptors on locust muscle fibres. Nature 246, 62–64.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daoud, M.A.R. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1978). Desensitization and potentiation during glutamate application to locust skeletal muscle. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 59C, 105–110.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dowson, R. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1972). The effect of low concentrations of L-glutamate and Laspartate on transmitter release at the locust excitatory nerve-muscle synapses. J. Physiol. 229, 13–14P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, M.L. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985). The effect of lectins on desensitization of locust muscle glutamate receptors. Brain Res. (In press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, A.C. and Roberts, P.J. (1978) Affinity L-[3H] glutamate binding to postsynaptic receptor sites on rat cerebellar membranes. J. Neurochem. 31, 1467–1477.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fredkin, D.R., Montai, M. and Rice, J.A. (1985). Identification of aggregated Markovian models: Application to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Proc. of the Berkeley Conference in Honour of Jerzy Neyman and Jack Kiefer Wadoworth Publ. Co. (In press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gration, K.A.F., Clark, R.B. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979a). Three types of L-glutamate receptor on junctional membrane of locust muscle. Brain Res. 171, 360–364.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gration, K.A.F., Clark, R.B. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979b). Denervation of insect muscle: A comparative study of the changes in L-glutamate sensitivity on locust retractor unguis and extensor tibiae muscle. Neuropharmac. 18, 201–208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gration, K.A.F., Lambert, J.J. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1980). A comparison of glutamate single-channel activity at desensitizing and non-desensitizing sites. J. Physiol. 310, 49P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gration, K.A.F. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1980). Interactions of glutamate with amino acid receptors on locust muscle. Verh. Dtsch. Zool. Ges. 1980, 122–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gration, K.A.F., Lambert, J.J., Ramsey, R.L., Rand, R.P. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1981). Agonist potency determination by patch clamp analysis of single glutamate receptors. Brain Res. 230, 400–405.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, C.J., Kits, K.S., Ramsey, R.L., Sansom, M.S.P. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985a). Single channel kinetics of a glutamate receptor. (Submitted to Biophys. J.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, C.J., Ramsey, R.L., Sansom, M.S.P., Usherwood, P.N.R. and Washio, H. (1985b). The effect of tubocurarine on single gluta-mateactivated channels in locust muscle. J. Physiol. 365, 82P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerry, C.J., Ramsey, R.L., Sansom, M.S.P., Usherwood, P.N.R. and Washio, H. (1985c). Single channel studies of the action of d-tubocurarine on locust muscle glutamate receptors. (Submitted to Br. J. Pharmac.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kits, K., Ramsey, R.L., Sansom, M.S.P. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1985). Ionic properties of channels gated by glutamate receptors of locust muscle studied at the single channel level. (In preparation).

    Google Scholar 

  • Labarca, P., Rice, J.A., Fredkin, D.R. and Montai, M. (1985). Kinetic analysis of channel gating: application to the cholinergic receptor channel and the chloride channel from Torpedo californica. Biophys. J. A7 469–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lea, T. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1973). The site of action of ibo-tenic acid and the identification of two populations of glutamate receptors on insect muscle fibres. Comp. gen. Pharmac. 4, 333–350.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathers, D. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1976). Concanavalin A blocks desensitization of glutamate receptors of insect muscle fibres. Nature, 259, 409–411.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathers, D. and Usherwood, P.N.R. (1978). Effects of concanavalin A on junctional and extrajunctional L-glutamate receptors on locust skeletal muscle fibres. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 59C, 151–155.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nistri, A. and Constanti, A. (1979) Pharmacological characterization of different types of GABA and glutamate receptors in vertebrates and invertebrates. Progr. Neurobiol. 13, 117–235.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patlak, J.B., Gration, K.A.F. & Usherwood, P.N.R. (1979). Single glutamateactivated channels in locust muscle. Nature, 278, 643–645.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piek, T. (1985). Neurotransmission and neuromodulation of skeletal muscles In Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Eds. Kerkut, G.A. and Gilbert, L.T., Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 55–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1969). Glutamate sensitivity of denervated insect muscle fibres. Nature, 203, 411–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1978). Amino acids as neurotransmitters. Adv. Comp. Physiol. Biochem. 7, 227–309.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1978). Glutamate receptors in eucaryotes. Adv. Pharmac. Ther. 1, 107–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1980a). Neuromuscular transmitter receptors of insect muscle. In Receptors for Neurotransmitters, Hormones and Pheromones in Insects. Eds. D.B. Sattelle, L.M. Hall and J.G. Hildebrand. Elsevier/North Holland, Amsterdam and New York. pp. 141–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1980b). Peripheral glutamatergic synapses in insects. In Ontogenesis and Functional Mechanisms of Peripheral Synapses. Ed. J. Taxi, Elsevier/North Holland, Amsterdam and New York. pp. 367–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. (1981). Glutamate synapses and receptors on insect muscle. In Glutamate as a Neurotransmitter. Ed. Di Chiara, G. and Gessa, G.L., Raven Press, New York. pp. 183–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. and Cull-Candy, S.G. (1973). Distribution of glutamate sensitivity on insect muscle fibres. Neuropharmac. 13, 455–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. and Cull-Candy, S.G. (1975). Pharmacology of somatic muscle. In Insect Muscle. Ed. P.N.R. Usherwood, Academic Press, New York, London, pp. 207–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usherwood, P.N.R. and Machili, P. (1968). Pharmacological properties of excitatory neuromuscular organisms in the locust. J. Exp. Biol. 49, 341–361.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins, J.C. and Evans, R.H. (1981). Evaluating amino acid transmitters. Ann. Rev. Pharmac. 21, 165–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Werman, R. (1969). An electrophysiological approach to drug-receptor mechanisms. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 30, 997–1017.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, D. and Washio, H. (1979). Curare has a voltage-dependent blocking action at the glutamate synapse. Nature, 281, 372–373.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. M. S. P. Sansom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. N. R. Usherwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton, UK

    Peter J. Roberts

  2. Anatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Norway

    Jon Storm-Mathisen

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College, London, UK

    Harry F. Bradford

Copyright information

© 1986 The Editors and the Contributors

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sansom, M.S.P., Usherwood, P.N.R. (1986). L-Glutamic Acid Receptors on Locust Muscle: Pharmacological Properties and Single Receptor Channel Studies. In: Roberts, P.J., Storm-Mathisen, J., Bradford, H.F. (eds) Excitatory Amino Acids. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08479-1_17

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation