Genes for neurotransmitter synthesis, storage, and uptake

We found that the catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (EC 1.14.16.2), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.17.1), and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.28) share similar protein domains in their primary structures and that they share common gene coding sequences. In a recent report we also demonstrated that antiserums directed against choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6), glutamic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.15), and TH cause specific complement-mediated lysis of cholinergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic, and dopaminergic subpopulations of synaptosomes, respectively. This interaction of specific antibodies to the specific subpopulation of synaptosomal membrane, e.g., recognition of antibody to TH to only the dopaminergic subpopulation of synaptosomal membrane protein, indicates that the neurotransmitter enzyme and membrane protein of its own synaptosomes may also share common protein domains. Therefore, we postulate that the specific neurotransmitter biosynthetic enzyme and a certain membrane protein of the nerve endings may share similar gene coding sequences, and that expression of these proteins may determine the phenotype of the neuron.