The nematocyst extract of Hydra attenuata causes single channel events in lipid bilayers.

The nematocyst extract of Hydra attenuata causes single conductance events in reconstituted planar lipid membranes as well as in inside-out patches derived from liposomes. The smallest single channel conductance level of the toxins is 110 pS. The conductance levels increase stepwise with time up to 2000 pS. These large conductance jumps indicate channel cooperativity. If the membrane-voltage is changed from positive to negative values, the single channel events become undefined and noisy, indicating major reorganizations of the proteins which form the channels. The molecular properties of the ionophoric component(s) of the nematocyst extract may help explain the observed macroscopic effects, such as hemolysis of human erythrocytes, after addition of the nematocyst extract.