Final answer:
α-Bungarotoxin binds to acetylcholine receptors leading to muscle paralysis, and it does not affect dopaminergic receptors. This neurotoxin is a key research tool due to its ability to bind irreversibly to acetylcholine receptors, unlike other neurotoxins such as tetanus toxin, which affects inhibitory neurotransmitter release.
Step-by-step explanation:
The substance α-bungarotoxin has multiple effects on the nervous system, but it does not bind to dopaminergic receptors. α-Bungarotoxin binds irreversibly to acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions, thereby preventing acetylcholine from binding. This blockage results in paralysis of the muscle because without acetylcholine binding, there is no subsequent depolarization of the motor endplate and no muscle contraction. The compound has indeed been used in research to purify acetylcholine receptors using affinity chromatography.
Unlike α-bungarotoxin, other neurotoxins, such as tetanus toxin produced by Clostridium tetani, act differently by affecting inhibitory interneurons, leading to spastic paralysis by preventing the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters like glycine and GABA, which would normally regulate the release of acetylcholine.