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Neuron-specific human glutamate transporter: molecular cloning, characterization and expression in human brain
P Shashidharan1, G W Huntley, T Meyer
1Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029.
Brain Research
|October 31, 1994
Summary
Researchers identified a novel human glutamate transporter III, distinct from other brain transporters. This transporter
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Glutamate transporters are crucial for neurotransmission.
- Previous research identified two brain-specific glutamate transporters.
- Understanding diverse glutamate transporter functions is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel neuron-specific glutamate/aspartate transporter from human brain cDNA libraries.
- To determine the structural relationship of this new transporter to known ones.
- To investigate the expression pattern of the transporter across human tissues and brain regions.
Main Methods:
- cDNA library screening and isolation.
- Nucleotide and amino acid sequence homology analysis.
- Northern blot analysis for tissue expression.
- In situ hybridization for brain region-specific expression.
- Southern blot analysis for gene copy number.
Main Results:
- A new cDNA, human glutamate transporter III (hGT-III), was identified.
- hGT-III shows distinct structural features compared to previously known brain glutamate transporters.
- hGT-III shares high nucleotide (90%) and amino acid (95%) homology with a rabbit transporter.
- mRNA expression detected in brain, liver, muscle, ovary, testis, and retinoblastoma cells.
- High mRNA expression observed in substantia nigra, red nucleus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex.
- The gene for hGT-III exists as a single copy in the human genome.
Conclusions:
- Human glutamate transporter III represents a novel member of the excitatory amino acid transporter family.
- Its widespread expression suggests roles beyond neuronal function, potentially in other tissues and cell types.
- The specific expression pattern in brain regions indicates a significant role in central nervous system functions.
- The single-copy nature of the gene simplifies further genetic studies.