Biomaterial Database

Distribution of protein inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in rat brain. 1997

M T Greenwood, and Y Guo, and U Kumar, and S Beauséjours, and S N Hussain

Department of Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

In neuronal cells, nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and performs various functions including neurotransmission, modulation of nociception and long-term potentiation and memory. Recently, a novel 89-amino acid protein, designated PIN, has been shown to interact specifically with nNOS and inhibit nNOS dimerization. In this report, we investigated the distribution and the correlation of PIN with that of nNOS in various brain regions of rats. Amplified PIN cDNA from brain tissues revealed an open reading frame which is identical to that of human PIN. Northern blotting of brain RNA with PIN cDNA produced two transcripts, a major 0.9 kb and a minor 2.5 kb. Expression of PIN cDNA as a fusion protein in E. coli produced a 10 kDa protein which interacted specifically with pure nNOS in an overlay assay. Immunoblotting of rat brain regions with nNOS antibody demonstrated strong expression in the cerebellum, moderate expression in the cerebral cortex, midbrain, medulla and hippocampus with only weak expression in the spinal cord. By comparison, PIN expression was stronger in the cerebral cortex, midbrain, hippocampus and medulla compared with that of cerebellum and spinal cord. We conclude that PIN interacts strongly with nNOS and is constitutively expressed in various brain regions. The dissimilarity between nNOS and PIN expressions in various brain regions may explain the well known differences in NOS activity between these regions. Our results also suggest that PIN may serve other functions other than nNOS inhibition.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004398	Dyneins	A family of multi-subunit cytoskeletal motor proteins that use the energy of ATP hydrolysis, generated by a ring of AAA ATPASES in the dynein heavy chain, to power a variety of cellular functions. Dyneins fall into two major classes based upon structural and functional criteria.	ATPase, Dynein,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Dynein,Dynein,Dynein ATPase,Dynein Adenosinetriphosphatase,Dynein Heavy Chain,Dynein Intermediate Chain,Dynein Light Chain,Dynein Light Intermediate Chain,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Dynein,Dynein Heavy Chains,Dynein Intermediate Chains,Dynein Light Chains,Dynein Light Intermediate Chains,Chain, Dynein Heavy,Chain, Dynein Intermediate,Chain, Dynein Light,Chains, Dynein Heavy,Chains, Dynein Intermediate,Chains, Dynein Light,Dynein Adenosine Triphosphatase,Heavy Chain, Dynein,Heavy Chains, Dynein,Intermediate Chain, Dynein,Intermediate Chains, Dynein,Light Chain, Dynein,Light Chains, Dynein
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012313	RNA	A polynucleotide consisting essentially of chains with a repeating backbone of phosphate and ribose units to which nitrogenous bases are attached. RNA is unique among biological macromolecules in that it can encode genetic information, serve as an abundant structural component of cells, and also possesses catalytic activity. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed)	RNA, Non-Polyadenylated,Ribonucleic Acid,Gene Products, RNA,Non-Polyadenylated RNA,Acid, Ribonucleic,Non Polyadenylated RNA,RNA Gene Products,RNA, Non Polyadenylated