Molecular weights of acetylcholine receptor subunits from Narke japonica

The molecular weights of acetylcholine receptor subunits from Narke japonica were determined by use of a combination of high-performance gel chromatography and low angle laser light scattering measurement. The molecular weights of the protein moieties of the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-subunits were obtained as 39,000, 46,000, 47,000, and 48,000, respectively. Taking into account the carbohydrate contents of the subunits, the molecular weights were estimated to be 41,000, 49,000, 49,000, and 51,000. These values are considerably smaller than those estimated from SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, these values agree approximately with those estimated from the elution volumes on high-performance gel chromatography in SDS solutions.