Cross-linking of beta-bungarotoxin to chick brain membranes. Identification of subunits of a putative voltage-gated K+ channel.

beta-Bungarotoxin (beta-Butx), a presynaptically active neurotoxin from snake venom, is thought to bind to a subtype of voltage-gated K+ channels. 125I-beta-Butx was cross-linked to its high-affinity binding site in membrane fractions from chick brain by using the bivalent reagents 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethyl-amino)propyl]carbodiimide and sulfosuccinimidyl 6-[(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)amino]hexanoate. Two major adducts of apparent Mr 90,000-95,000 and 46,000-49,000 were obtained with both cross-linkers. Formation of both adducts was inhibited by the K+ channel ligands dendrotoxin I and mast cell degranulating peptide. Our data indicate that the putative beta-Butx-sensitive neuronal K+ channel contains at least two different types of subunits of about 75 and 28 kDa.