Effects of post- and pre-synaptic snake venom neurotoxins on chloride and choline association with synaptic plasma membranes in vitro.

The association of chloride-36 and [(3)H]choline with an isolated presynaptic plasma membrane fraction (SPM) was investigated. Choline interaction at low trans choline (1 microM) concentration was hemicholinium-3 sensitive and inhibited by the presynaptically active snake neurotoxins, taipoxin, Notechis II-5, Enhydrina schistosa myotoxin and beta-bungarotoxin while the post-synaptic toxin alpha-bungarotoxin had no effect on choline interaction. Chloride interaction was not affected significantly by the toxins, thereby suggesting that gross lysis of the SPM does not account for their inhibitory effects on choline interaction with the SPM.