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Conserved Organization of γ‐Aminobutyric Acid A Receptor Genes: Cloning and Analysis of the Chicken β4‐Subunit Gene
Author(s) -
Lasham Annette,
Vreugdenhil Erno,
Bateson Alan N.,
Barnard Eric A.,
Darlison Mark G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1991.tb02135.x
Subject(s) - biology , gamma aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha 1 , gene , exon , interleukin 10 receptor, alpha subunit , genetics , protein subunit , nicotinic acetylcholine receptor , scn3a , intron , gabbr1 , microbiology and biotechnology , acetylcholine receptor , 5 ht5a receptor , receptor , g alpha subunit , protease activated receptor 2
A series of genomic clones containing DNA that encodes the chicken γ‐aminobutyric acid A (GABA A ) receptor β4 subunit have been isolated. These have been restriction mapped and partially sequcnced to determine the structural organization and the size of the β4‐subunit gene. This gene, which comprises nine exons, spans more than 65 kb. The organization of the chicken GABA A receptor β4‐subunit gene has been compared to that of the murine GABA A receptor δ‐subunit gene and to those of the genes that encode other members of the ligand‐gated ion‐channel superfamily, namely muscle and neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Although the positions of the intron/exon boundaries of GABA A receptor sub‐unit genes are seen to be highly conserved, there are significant differences between the genes that encode GABA A receptor and AChR subunits. These results are discussed in relation to the proposal that this superfamily of ligand‐gated ion‐channel receptor genes arose by duplication of an ancestral receptor gene.