Binding of Tryptamine and Allied Compounds to Nucleic Acids

Abstract

IN discussions of the nature of the receptor site for central transmitters in neuronal membrane it is usually assumed that it must be composed of protein or perhaps glycoprotein. Because RNA has been reported to be present in membrane^1–5 and because it may well have functions in the cell besides its direct involvement in protein synthesis, however, it is possible that ribonucleoprotein may have a part to play in membrane function (for example, opening ionic channels, and making up part of the receptor site in neurones). A detailed development of this hypothesis has been presented elsewhere^6,7. This article is concerned with experiments attempting to determine the mechanism of binding of tryptamine and related compounds to nucleic acids.