Modification of sodium channel inactivation in single myelinated nerve fibers by methionine-reactive chemicals.

Several methionine-reactive reagents, including N-bromoacetamide, N-bromosuccinimide, chloramine-T, and N-chlorosuccinimide, irreversibly slowed and prevented Na channel inactivation in single myelinated nerve fibers, whereas sulfhydryl- or tyrosine-modifying reagents had little effect. The activation process was not modified by the reagents that altered inactivation and could be modulated normally by Ca++ ions and Centruroides scorpion toxin II alpha. These results suggest that externally applied N-bromoacetamide and its related compounds specifically affect Na channel inactivation by modifying methionine residues of the channel.