Complete sequence of a cDNA encoding an active rat choline acetyltransferase: a tool to investigate the plasticity of cholinergic phenotype expression |
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Authors: | A Brice S Berrard B Raynaud S Ansieau T Coppola M J Weber J Mallet |
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Affiliation: | Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France. |
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Abstract: | A cDNA clone encoding the complete sequence of an active rat choline acetyltransferase (ChoAcTase; acetyl-CoA:choline O-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.6) has been isolated. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence reveals 85% and 31% identity with the porcine and Drosophila melanogaster enzymes, respectively. To further elucidate the molecular basis of neurotransmitter-related phenotypic plasticity, the expression of ChoAcTase mRNA was compared with that of tyrosine hydroxylase [TH; tyrosine 3-monooxygenase, L-tyrosine, tetrahydropteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase (3-hydroxylating), EC 1.14.16.2], in neurons from superior cervical ganglia grown in the following conditions: 1) normal medium, 2) high K+ medium, and 3) normal medium supplemented with 50% muscle-conditioned medium (CM). TH mRNA was expressed in all three media; its level rose in high K+ and decreased strikingly in the presence of CM. ChoAcTase mRNA could be visualized in CM, but fell to undetectable levels in normal and high K+ media. These results suggest that translational or post-translational mechanisms do not play a major role for the modulation of neurotransmitter-associated phenotype. |
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Keywords: | rat ChoAcTase cDNA Xenopus oocytes sequence comparison superior cervical ganglia |
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