Search results for "Aplysia"
showing 10 items of 13 documents
Tetanus Toxin Inhibits Neuroexocytosis Even When Its Zn2+-dependent Protease Activity Is Removed
1995
Tetanus toxin (TeTX) is a dichain protein that blocks neuroexocytosis, an action attributed previously to Zn(2+)-dependent proteolysis of synaptobrevin (Sbr) by its light chain (LC). Herein, its cleavage of Sbr in rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes was shown to be minimized by captopril, an inhibitor of certain metalloendoproteases, whereas this agent only marginally antagonized the inhibition of noradrenaline release, implicating a second action of the toxin. This hypothesis was proven by preparing three mutants (H233A, E234A, H237A) of the LC lacking the ability to cleave Sbr and reconstituting them with native heavy chain. The resultant dichains were found to block synaptosomal transmitter…
Decreased response to acetylcholine during aging of Aplysia neuron R15
2013
How aging affects the communication between neurons is poorly understood. To address this question, we have studied the electrophysiological properties of identified neuron R15 of the marine mollusk Aplysia californica . R15 is a bursting neuron in the abdominal ganglia of the central nervous system and is implicated in reproduction, water balance, and heart function. Exposure to acetylcholine (ACh) causes an increase in R15 burst firing. Whole-cell recordings of R15 in the intact ganglia dissected from mature and old Aplysia showed specific changes in burst firing and properties of action potentials induced by ACh. We found that while there were no significant changes in resting membrane p…
Isolation and characterization of haemoporin, an abundant haemolymph protein from Aplysia californica.
2003
In the present study, we show the isolation and characterization of the protein haemoporin, which constitutes the second most abundant protein fraction in the haemolymph of the marine gastropod Aplysia californica. Although Aplysia is commonly used to investigate the molecular basis of learning, not much is known about the proteins in its haemolymph, which is in contact with the neurons owing to the open circulatory system of molluscs. In the native state, haemoporin is a macromolecular complex forming a cylinder with a central solvent-filled pore. The native complex most probably is a homopentamer made up from 70 kDa subunits with a molecular mass of 360 kDa and a sedimentation coefficient…
Data from: Phylogenomics of Lophotrochozoa with consideration of systematic error
2021
Phylogenomic studies have improved understanding of deep metazoan phylogeny and show promise for resolving incongruences among analyses based on limited numbers of loci. One region of the animal tree that has been especially difficult to resolve, even with phylogenomic approaches, is relationships within Lophotrochozoa (the animal clade that includes molluscs, annelids, and flatworms among others). Lack of resolution in phylogenomic analyses could be due to insufficient phylogenetic signal, limitations in taxon and/or gene sampling, or systematic error. Here, we investigated why lophotrochozoan phylogeny has been such a difficult question to answer by identifying and reducing sources of sys…
Data from: Phylogenomics of Lophotrochozoa with consideration of systematic error
2016
Phylogenomic studies have improved understanding of deep metazoan phylogeny and show promise for resolving incongruences among analyses based on limited numbers of loci. One region of the animal tree that has been especially difficult to resolve, even with phylogenomic approaches, is relationships within Lophotrochozoa (the animal clade that includes molluscs, annelids, and flatworms among others). Lack of resolution in phylogenomic analyses could be due to insufficient phylogenetic signal, limitations in taxon and/or gene sampling, or systematic error. Here, we investigated why lophotrochozoan phylogeny has been such a difficult question to answer by identifying and reducing sources of sys…
Cyanide binding and heme cavity conformational transitions in **Drosophila melanogaster** hexacoordinate hemoglobin
2006
The reason for the presence of hemoglobin-like molecules in insects, such as Drosophila melanogaster, that live in fully aerobic environments has yet to be determined. Heme endogenous hexacoordination (where HisE7 and HisF8 axial ligands to the heme Fe atom are both provided by the protein) is a recently discovered mechanism proposed to modulate O-2 affinity in hemoglobins from different species. Previous results have shown that D. melanogaster hemoglobin 1 (product of the glob1 gene) displays heme endogenous hexacoordination in both the ferrous and ferric states. Here we present kinetic data characterizing the exogenous cyanide ligand binding process, and the three-dimensional structure (a…
First record of Aplysia dactylomela (Opisthobranchia: Aplysiidae) from the Egadi Islands (western Sicily)
2014
The alien mollusc Aplysia dactylomela is recorded for the first time from the Egadi Islands marine protected area (western Sicily). This species has been widely reported in the Mediterranean and has established populations in Sicily. The presence of a few specimens let us suppose that its occurrence in this area is a recent event and that soon new populations will be sighted in the whole Egadi Islands and on the western and southern coasts of Sicily.
Differences in the temperature dependencies of uptake of botulinum and tetanus toxins in Aplysia neurons
1992
The respective neuroselective actions of botulinum type A (BoNT) and tetanus (TeTx) neurotoxins on cholinergic and non-cholinergic synapses of Aplysia are mainly due to differences in their extracellular neuronal targetting. Further information was gained on this neuroselectivity by examining the temperature dependencies of binding, internalization and intracellular action of both toxins. After reduction of temperature from 22 degrees C to 10 degrees C, the binding of neither BoNT nor TeTx was significantly altered whereas the neuronal uptake of BoNT, but not of TeTx, was prevented. Although TeTx internalization could be detected at the low temperature, its intracellular activity was greatl…
First Record Of Aplysia Dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Heterobranchia, Aplysiidae) from Pianosa Island (northern Tyrrhenian Sea)
2018
The non-indigenous spotted sea hare Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828, entered the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic, is recorded for the first time from shallow coastal waters of Pianosa Island in 2015. This record can be considered the first occurrence in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. One specimen of A. dactylomela was photographed while was feeding on a rock bottom mainly covered with red algae.
Metabolic aspects of the rhythmogenesis inAplysia pacemaker neurons
1973
Completely isolatedAplysia pacemaker neurons were used to investigate mechanisms of endogenous electrical rhythmicity. This preparation allows the study of pure pacemaker activity free from synaptic, ephaptic and/or humoral influences from the surrounding cells. The effect of some substances quite different in their mode of biochemical action were tested: sodium iodoacetate, phloridzin, dinitrophenol, heavy water, and ouabain. Each of these substances suppressed the spontaneous spike activity without any marked depolarizing or hyperpolarizing effect. Spontaneous spike activity of the neurons silenced after addition of one of these substances reappeared after addition of glucose. The restori…