Currents carried by monovalent cations through cyclic GMP-activated channels in excised patches from salamander rods

1. Ionic selectivity and affinity for monovalent cations of channels activated by guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) were studied in excised inside-out patches of plasma membrane from retinal rods of the tiger salamander. Channels were activated by addition of cyclic GMP to the medium bathing the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. The ionic solution at the cytoplasmic side was rapidly changed using the method of Nunn (1987 a). 2. Permeability ratios were calculated with the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz potential equation from reversal potential measurements for alkali monovalent cations in bi-ionic conditions. The permeability sequence was: Li+:Na+:K+:Rb+:Cs+ = 1.14:1:0.98:0.84:0.58. 3. The selectivity sequence obtained from macroscopic current measurements in bi-ionic conditions at +100 mV was: Na+:K+:Rb+:Li+:Cs+ = 1:1:0.67:0.36:0.25. 4. The organic cations tetramethylammonium (TMA+), choline and tetraethylammonium (TEA+) were not permeant through the cyclic GMP-activated channels and caused a reduction of the Na+ inward current. At -100 mV the current ratio for inward current was 1:0.75:0.58:0.2 in the presence, at the cytoplasmic side, of 110 mM-Na+, TMA+, choline or TEA+ respectively. 5. The concentration dependence of the macroscopic current and the reversal potential was studied by changing the internal concentration of Na+ or K+ or Li+ from 5 mM to 500 mM. The permeability ratios were nearly constant regardless of the permeant ion concentration. 6. The current as a function of internal ion activity could be described by a Michaelis-Menten relation with a half-saturating activity, Km, at +90 mV equal to 249, 203 and 160 mM for Na+, K+ and Li+ respectively. The ratio of the extrapolated saturating current Imax at +90 mV was 1:0.86:0.26 for Na+, K+ and Li+ respectively. 7. The outward currents and the reversal potentials measured in different mixtures of Na+ and Li+ were monotonic function of the mole fraction. 8. These results can be explained by assuming that, at least in a narrow region, the cyclic GMP-activated channel is a one-ion channel, possibly with other poorly voltage-dependent binding sites in a large inner vestibule.