Zinc ion enhances the blocking potency of synthetic analogs of spider toxin (JSTX) on the glutamate receptor.

The effect of synthetic spider toxin analogs containing aza-crown in combination with zinc and copper was studied on the lobster neuromuscular synapse. The suppressive action of N4-type spider toxin analog (N4) on excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) was markedly enhanced in the presence of 10(-5)-10(-4) M Zn2+. Cu2+ (10(-4) M) also had a potentiating effect on the suppression of EPSPs by N4 but to a lesser degree than Zn2+. While N6-type spider toxin analog (N6) suppressed EPSPs more effectively than N4, additional suppression was not pronounced in the presence of Zn2+ or Cu2+. The results suggest that chelatable divalent metal ions play an important role in the blocking mechanism of glutamate receptor by the spider toxin.