Puffer Fish Are Resistant to Poisoning by TTX, a Sodium

question 128

Short Answer

Puffer fish are resistant to poisoning by TTX, a sodium channel toxin that they produce as a defensive mechanism.TTX cannot bind to puffer fish sodium channels, because _______ nucleotide substitutions in the sodium channel gene have altered the protein structure such that the TTX binding site is lost without affecting the function of the sodium channel.

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Definitions:

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary actions of the body, such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.

Electrically Shocked

The experience of undergoing an electric shock, which is the sudden discharge of electricity through a part of the body, potentially causing harm.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach and theory of mind developed by Sigmund Freud, emphasizing unconscious motives and conflicts as the drivers of human behavior.

Unconscious Origins

The underlying, often unaware sources of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, rooted in early experiences or the subconscious mind.