Some one with a silly name wrote:
>> I'm just curious, how does the clostridium botulinum exotoxin work?
> >From what I remember it blockades one of the Ach receptor types and
> therefore causes paralysis, since the signals can't be recieved by the
> muscles. Is this an accurate statement? Which type of receptor does it
> blockade? Is it a competitive inhibitor for that receptor? Also, does
> anyone have a chemical structure for the toxin and its attachment site, and
> if so, would they please post it?
>> This has been bugging me all day, and I loaned one of my neuro books
> to a friend. That was the one that had the easy-to-find explanation for
> this (d'oh) although I still would like to have a structural diagram to
> explain how it physically occupies the site. Thanks all!
>>>n fact it is now known that the botulinum neurotoxins work by getting
into the presynaptic terminal at the neuromuscular junction and
preventing the release of acetylcholine. The are specific proteases
This story has only been worked out in the last couple of years so
older books may have had it wrong.
Mike Duggan
