Regulating role of acetylcholine and its antagonists in inward rectified K+ channels from guard cell protoplasts of Vicia faba

The inward rectified potassium current of Vicia faba guard cell protoplasts treated with acetylcholine (ACh) or the antagonists of its receptors were recorded by employing the patch clamp technique. The results show that ACh at lower concentrations increases the inward K+ current, in contrast, ACh a t higher concentrations inhibits it. Treated with d-Tubocurarine (d-Tub), a n antagonist of the nicotine ACh receptor (nAChR) inhibits the inward K+ cu rrent by 30%. Treated with atropine (Atr), an antagonist of the muscarine ( Mus) ACh receptor (mAChR) also inhibits it by 36%. However, if guard cell p rotoplasts are treated with d-Tub and Atr together, the inward K+ current i s inhibited by 60%-75%. Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA), a strong inhibit or of K+ channels has no effect on the inward K+ current regulated by ACh, suggesting that there are inward K+ channels modulated by AChRs on the memb rane of the guard cell protoplasts. These data demonstrate an ACh-regulated mechanism for stomatal movement.