Solubilization of the glycine receptor from rat spinal cord

Glycine receptors, as detected by glycine-displaceable [3H]strychnine binding, were solubilized from a membrane fraction of rat spinal cord by the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. The solubilized material retained its high affinity for [3H]strychnine and exhibited the typical pharmacological properties of the membrane-bound glycine receptor. On sucrose density gradients, the solubilized receptor had a sedimentation coefficient of 8.3 +/- 0.4 S. Gel exclusion chromatography on Sepharose 6 B in the presence of phosphatidylcholine gave a Stokes radius of 7.3 +/- 0.3 nm.