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SUMMARY:Adaptive evolution of voltage-gated sodium channels: stories from 
 electric fish\, scorpions and mice - Harold Zakon\, University of Texas at
  Austin\, USA
DTSTART:20130515T120000Z
DTEND:20130515T130000Z
UID:TALK45277@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Jack Green
DESCRIPTION:Voltage-gated sodium channels generate action potentials in th
 e nervous system.\nWe have studied the evolution of these channels in earl
 y metazoans\, their\nhistory of gene duplication in vertebrates\, and thei
 r adaptations in various\nvertebrates. I will discuss two examples of adap
 tions of sodium channels. The\nfirst describes the role of sodium channel 
 trafficking in the membrane of cells\nof the electric organ in weakly elec
 tric fish in the service of energy\nconservation. A second case study will
  show the role of an amino acid\nsubstitution in a sodium channel found in
  mammalian pain receptors that allows\na predatory mouse from the Sonoran 
 desert of the American Southwest to feel no\npain from the sting of scorpi
 ons\, its main prey. Indeed\, in a single\nevolutionary stroke\, this chan
 nel now has the capacity to be blocked rather\nthan activated by venom pep
 tides thus turning the tables on the scorpion and\nconverting its venom fr
 om a pain-inducing compound into a natural analgesic.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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