Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Mastoparan, a 14-residue peptide, has been investigated with respect to its ability to form ion channels in planar lipid bilayers. In the presence of 0.3-3.0 μM mastoparan, two types of activity are seen. Type I activity is characterized by discrete channel openings, exhibiting multiple conductance levels in the range 15-700 pS. Type II activity is characterized by transient increases in bilayer conductance, up to a maximum of about 650 pS. Both type I and type II activities are voltage dependent. Channel activation occurs if the compartment containing mastoparan is held at a negative potential. Channel formation is dependent on ionic strength; channel openings are only observed at KCl concentrations of 0.3 M or above. Furthermore, raising the concentration of KCl to 3.0 M stabilizes the open form of the channel. Mastoparan channels are weakly cation selective, P(K/Cl) ~ 2. A 12-residue analogue, des-Ile1,Asn2-mastoparan, preferentially forms type I channels. The ion channels formed by these short peptides may be modelled in terms of bundles of transmembrane α-helices.

Original publication

DOI

10.1098/rspb.1990.0022

Type

Journal article

Journal

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Publication Date

01/01/1990

Volume

239

Pages

383 - 400