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. 1990 Dec;9(6):569-75.

Memory is a property of an ion channels pool: ion channels formed by Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin

O V Krasilnikov  1 , P G Merzliak, R Z Sabirov, B A Tashmuk-Hamedov
Affiliations
  • PMID: 1706676

Memory is a property of an ion channels pool: ion channels formed by Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin

O V Krasilnikov et al. Gen Physiol Biophys. 1990 Dec.

Abstract

The short-time depolarization effects on the integral conductance induced by S. aureus alpha-toxin (ST) in planar lipid bilayer membranes has been studied. Ion channels formed by ST were found to have several potential-induced nonconductance (closed) states. The transitions of ion channels between the states are only through one conductance state. The transition of ST-channels from closed to open state is induced by membrane depolarization. The amplitude current after a series of voltage pulses is a function of pulse number, and is effectively independent of the time interval between the neighbouring pulses. Therefore, a membrane which contains a pool of ion channels "remembers" its previous existence. A simple model can be used to explain this phenomenon.

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