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Accession Number:
ADB124874
Title:
Primary Structure of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor.
Corporate Author:
SALK INST FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES LA JOLLA CA
Report Date:
1987-08-01
Abstract:
Chemical signaling between cells is an important form of biological regulation. We focused our attention on the signaling mechanisms that use acetylcholine, cholinergic receptors, and acetylcholinesterase. Our approach to understanding these mechanisms was to clone DNA sequences that encode the proteins that comprise the acetylcholine receptor molecules and to determine that structure of the receptors from these recombinant DNA clones. In the course of this work, we discovered that there is a family of genes that encode a family of receptor molecules. Through our research, we determined the primary structure of these proteins and showed that they can be expressed in Xenopus oocytes to form functional receptors, that the receptors have different properties, and that the receptors are expressed in different parts of the brain. This unexpected prevalence and diversity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors changes the way we think about drugs that affect cholinergic signaling. Because these receptors are pharmacologically distinguishable and occur in regions of the brain with different known functions, one must consider the idea that cholinergic drugs exert differential effects in different brain pathways. Keywords Binding sites, Receptor sites, Biochemistry. KT
Descriptive Note:
Annual rept. 15 Jul 86-14 Jul 87,
Pages:
0041
Distribution Statement:
Approved for public release, distribution unlimited.
Contract Number:
DAMD17-85-C-5198
File Size:
0.00MB
