Equilibrium binding of cholinergic ligands to the membrane-bound acetylcholine receptor

We have studied the binding equilibria of the membrane-bound acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo marmorata with representative cholinergic ligands by means of two fluorescence and a rapid centrifugation assay. Based on the established mechanism of acetylcholine binding to the receptor (Fels, G., Wolff, E. K., and Maelicke, A. (1982) Eur. J. Biochem. 127, 31-38), the obtained binding and competition data were analyzed assuming two classes of interacting sites for all ligands studied. The experimental data were consistent with this assumption and, based on the obtained KD values, suggest weak positively cooperative interactions of binding sites when occupied by agonists but independent (or negatively cooperative interacting) sites when occupied by antagonists. Based on the fluorescence binding assay employed, agonists and antagonists induce different conformational states of the liganded receptor. These states seem to be similar for all antagonists tested but differ for the different agonists tested. The existence of ligand-specific conformational states suggests a close link of these states with receptor function.