Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent toxin that specifically binds to voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV). TTX binding physically blocks the flow of sodium ions through NaV, thereby preventing action potential generation and propagation. TTX has different binding affinities for different NaV isoforms. These differences are imparted by amino acid substitutions in positions within, or proximal to, the TTX-binding site in the channel pore. These substitutions confer TTX-resistance to a variety of species. The garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis has evolved TTX-resistance over the course of an arms race, allowing some populations of snakes to feed on tetrodotoxic newts, including Taricha granulosa. Different populations of the garter snake have different degrees of TTX-resistance, which is closely related to the number of amino acid substitutions. We tested the biophysical properties and ion selectivity of NaV of three garter snake populations from Bear Lake, Idaho; Warrenton, Oregon; and Willow Creek, California. We observed changes in gating properties of TTX-resistant (TTXr) NaV. In addition, ion selectivity of TTXr NaV was significantly different from that of TTX-sensitive NaV. These results suggest TTX-resistance comes at a cost to performance caused by changes in the biophysical properties and ion selectivity of TTXr NaV.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 6. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 29 October 2016.
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#8,625,041
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Outputs from Journal of Comparative Physiology A
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Outputs of similar age from Journal of Comparative Physiology A
#3
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Altmetric has tracked 31,990,159 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 72nd percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,678 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 9.3. This one has done well, scoring higher than 75% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 11 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 72% of its contemporaries.
