Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2436335 | International Journal for Parasitology | 2010 | 5 Pages |
Ivermectin exerts its anthelmintic effect by activating nematode Cys-loop glutamate-gated receptors. Here we show that a glycine residue at a specific transmembrane domain location is essential for high ivermectin sensitivity in both glycine- and glutamate-gated Cys-loop receptors. We also show that ivermectin sensitivity can be conferred on an ivermectin-insensitive receptor by introducing a glycine at this position. Furthermore, comparison of amino acid sequences of ivermectin-sensitive and -resistant receptors reveals that the presence of a glycine reliably predicts ivermectin sensitivity. By providing a means of identifying ivermectin-sensitive receptors, this finding should help in characterising ivermectin-resistance mechanisms and identifying new anthelmintic targets.
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