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Defined criteria for auxiliary subunits of glutamate receptors
Author(s) -
Yan Dan,
Tomita Susumu
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.213868
Subject(s) - ionotropic effect , ion channel , protein subunit , glutamate receptor , heterologous expression , ligand gated ion channel , chemistry , biophysics , heterologous , ionotropic glutamate receptor , receptor , transmembrane domain , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , recombinant dna , biology , gene
Pore‐forming subunits of ion channels show channel activity in heterologous cells. However, recombinant and native channels often differ in their channel properties. These discrepancies are resolved by the identification of channel auxiliary subunits. In this review article, an auxiliary subunit of ligand‐gated ion channels is defined using four criteria: (1) as a Non‐pore‐forming subunit, (2) direct and stable interaction with a pore‐forming subunit, (3) modulation of channel properties and/or trafficking in heterologous cells, (4) necessity in vivo . We focus particularly on three classes of ionotropic glutamate receptors and their transmembrane interactors. Precise identification of auxiliary subunits and reconstruction of native glutamate receptors will open new directions to understanding the brain and its functions.