cis-3,3'-Bis-[α-(trimethylammonium)methyl]azobenzene (cis-Bis-Q). Purification and properties at acetylcholine receptors of electrophorus electroplaques

J. M. Nerbonne, R. E. Sheridan, L. D. Chabala, H. A. Lester

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

The cis and trans isomers of the photoisomerizable compound, 3,3'-bis-[α-(trimethylammonium)methyl]azobenzene (Bis-Q), were purified by high-performance liquid chromatography using the ion-pair partitioning techique on a reverse-phase column. Solutions of cis-Bis-Q are stable at -20°C; at 25°C, thermal isomerization proceeds at a rate of 0.65%/day, cis-Bis-Q is less than 1% as potent a nicotinic agonist as the trans configuration. At concentrations of 1.5 μM or less, cis-Bis-Q exerts little or no blockade of the conductances induced by agonists. In voltage-clamped Electrophorus electroplaques exposed to cis-Bis-Q, laser flashes induce cis→trans photoisomerizations and increase the agonist-induced current by a factor of 20 within a few milliseconds.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)344-349
Number of pages6
JournalMolecular pharmacology
Volume23
Issue number2
StatePublished - 1983

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