Tetrodotoxin. VII. On the Structures of Tetrodotoxin and its Derivatives

Tetrodotoxin

In this Quick Guide, Lorentz et al. discuss the function of tetrodotoxin and its distribution in the animal kingdom.

Presence of tetrodotoxin and tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria in freshwater sediments.

The occurrence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in sediment from Lake Suwa, Japan, was confirmed by a tissue culture assay, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Altogether, 17 TTX-producing bacteria belonging to five genera were isolated from Lake Suwa and Pond Inokasira. Our results indicate that TTX and TTX-producing bacteria occur even in freshwater environm...

Instrumental Analysis of Tetrodotoxin

Differential action of riluzole on tetrodotoxin-sensitive and tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels.

The effects of riluzole, a neuroprotective drug, on tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons were studied using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. At the resting potential, riluzole preferentially blocked TTX-S sodium channels, whereas at more negative potentials, it blocked both types of sodium channels almost equa...

Potent modulation of tetrodotoxin-sensitive and tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channels by the type II pyrethroid deltamethrin.

In both tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) and tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) sodium channels, deltamethrin greatly prolonged the current during step depolarizing pulse and caused a large and prolonged slow tail current. The activation was shifted by 20 mV in the hyperpolarizing direction. These changes in channel kinetics account for the prolongation of action potential, membrane depolarization an...