The transport of neurotransmitters into synaptic vesicles

Using selection in the neurotoxin MPP+, we have isolated a cDNA encoding vesicular amine transport. The transporter protects against MPP+ by sequestering the toxin in vesicles, away from its primary site of action in mitochondria. Unexpectedly, two distinct but highly related genes encode vesicular amine transport in the adrenal gland and the central nervous system. The sequence of both predicts twelve transmembrane domains and weak homology to a class of bacterial antibiotic resistance proteins. The two human genes occur on different chromosomes. In addition, the two transporters show a number of differences in function, including substrate specificity and the interaction with one inhibitor and the amphetamines.