Importance of monovalent ions for the fast axonal transport of proteins

Abstract

Proteins labeled with [35S] methionine or [3H]leucine were generated in vitro in bullfrog dorsal root ganglia and their fast axonal transport in the spinal nerves was followed during a subsequent incubation period. Incubation of the ganglia in a medium where sucrose, choline chloride, or sodium isethionate replaced NaCl caused respectively an 88, a 37, or a 76% reduction in the quantity of proteins carried by the fast axonal transport system; no decrease in synthesis of labeled proteins was observed and protein transport followed the usual time course. Incubation of desheathed spinal nerves in a medium where sucrose replaced NaCl reduced by 67% the quantity of labeled proteins which were transported past the desheathed region. Although both the axons and the dorsal root ganglia exhibit the requirement for monovalent ions to maintain fast axonal transport, the possibility that the ionic requirements of the ganglia pertain to the somal portion of the nerve cell is discussed.