ANNEE : 1991Alternative splicing generates two isoforms of the alpha 2 subunit of the inhibitory glycine receptor.AUTEURS : Kuhse J, Kuryatov A,
Maulet Y, Malosio ML, Scmieden V, Betz H.
REVUE : FEBS Lett
N° Pubmed : 1645300
The inhibitory glycine receptor (GlyR) is a ligand-gated chloride channel protein which displays developmental heterogeneity in the mammalian central nervous system. Here we describe 2 novel cDNA variants of the rat GlyR alpha 2 subunit and demonstrate that alternative splicing generates these 2 isoforms. The deduced protein sequences (alpha 2A and alpha 2B) exhibit 99% identity with the previously characterized human alpha 2 subunit. In situ hybridization revealed expression of both alpha 2A and alpha 2B mRNAs in the prenatal rat brain, suggesting that these variant proteins may have a role in synaptogenesis. Heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes showed that the more abundantly expressed alpha 2A subunit forms strychnine-sensitive ion channels which resemble human alpha 2 subunit GlyRs in their electrophysiological properties.