Biomaterial Database

The family of Na+/Cl- neurotransmitter transporters. 1998

N Nelson

Department of Biochemistry, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

The termination of neurotransmission is achieved by rapid uptake of the released neurotransmitter by specific high-affinity neurotransmitter transporters. Most of these transporters are encoded by a family of genes (Na+/Cl- transporters) having a similar membrane topography of 12 transmembrane helices. An evolutionary tree revealed five distinct subfamilies: gamma-aminobutyric acid transporters, monoamine transporters, amino acid transporters, "orphan" transporters, and the recently discovered bacterial transporters. The bacterial transporters that belong to this family may help to develop heterologous expression systems with the aim of solving the three-dimensional structure of these membrane proteins. Some of the neurotransmitter transporters have been implicated as important sites for drug action. Monoamine transporters, for example, are targeted by major classes of antidepressants, psychostimulants, and antihypertensive drugs. Localization of individual transporters in specific cells and brain areas is pertinent to understanding their contribution to neurotransmission and their potential as targets for drugs. The most important questions in the field include resolving the mechanism of neurotransmitter transport, the structure of the transporters, and the interaction of each transporter in complex neurological activities.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008565	Membrane Proteins	Proteins which are found in membranes including cellular and intracellular membranes. They consist of two types, peripheral and integral proteins. They include most membrane-associated enzymes, antigenic proteins, transport proteins, and drug, hormone, and lectin receptors.	Cell Membrane Protein,Cell Membrane Proteins,Cell Surface Protein,Cell Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Proteins,Membrane-Associated Protein,Surface Protein,Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Protein,Membrane Protein,Membrane-Associated Proteins,Membrane Associated Protein,Membrane Associated Proteins,Membrane Protein, Cell,Membrane Protein, Integral,Membrane Proteins, Integral,Protein, Cell Membrane,Protein, Cell Surface,Protein, Integral Membrane,Protein, Membrane,Protein, Membrane-Associated,Protein, Surface,Proteins, Cell Membrane,Proteins, Cell Surface,Proteins, Integral Membrane,Proteins, Membrane,Proteins, Membrane-Associated,Proteins, Surface,Surface Protein, Cell
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
D005810	Multigene Family	A set of genes descended by duplication and variation from some ancestral gene. Such genes may be clustered together on the same chromosome or dispersed on different chromosomes. Examples of multigene families include those that encode the hemoglobins, immunoglobulins, histocompatibility antigens, actins, tubulins, keratins, collagens, heat shock proteins, salivary glue proteins, chorion proteins, cuticle proteins, yolk proteins, and phaseolins, as well as histones, ribosomal RNA, and transfer RNA genes. The latter three are examples of reiterated genes, where hundreds of identical genes are present in a tandem array. (King & Stanfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Gene Clusters,Genes, Reiterated,Cluster, Gene,Clusters, Gene,Families, Multigene,Family, Multigene,Gene Cluster,Gene, Reiterated,Multigene Families,Reiterated Gene,Reiterated Genes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
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
D015306	Biogenic Monoamines	Biogenic amines having only one amine moiety. Included in this group are all natural monoamines formed by the enzymatic decarboxylation of natural amino acids.	Monoamines, Biogenic
D049992	Sodium Chloride Symporters	A subclass of symporters found in KIDNEY TUBULES, DISTAL that are the major pathway for salt resorption. Inhibition of these symporters by BENZOTHIADIAZINES is the basis of action of some DIURETICS.	Na-Cl-Symporters,Sodium Chloride Cotransporters,Sodium-Chloride Cotransporter,Sodium-Chloride Transporter,Chloride Cotransporters, Sodium,Chloride Symporters, Sodium,Cotransporter, Sodium-Chloride,Cotransporters, Sodium Chloride,Na Cl Symporters,Sodium Chloride Cotransporter,Sodium Chloride Transporter,Symporters, Sodium Chloride,Transporter, Sodium-Chloride
D050485	GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins	A family of plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporter proteins that regulates extracellular levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID. They differ from GABA RECEPTORS, which signal cellular responses to GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID. They control GABA reuptake into PRESYNAPTIC TERMINALS in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM through high-affinity sodium-dependent transport.	GABA Transporter,Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins, GABA-Specific,Neurotransmitter Transporters, GABA-Specific,GABA Plasma Membrane Transporter Proteins,GABA Transporter 1,GABA Transporter 2,GABA Transporter 3,GABA Transporter 4,GABA Transporters,GAT-1 Transporter,GAT-2 Transporter,GAT-3 Transporter,GAT-4 Transporter,GAT1 Transporter,GAT2 Transporter,GAT3 Transporter,Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins,GABA-Specific Neurotransmitter Transporters,GAT 1 Transporter,GAT 2 Transporter,GAT 3 Transporter,GAT 4 Transporter,Gamma Aminobutyric Acid Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins,Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins, GABA Specific,Neurotransmitter Transporters, GABA Specific,Transporter 2, GABA,Transporter, GABA,Transporter, GAT-2,Transporter, GAT-4,Transporter, GAT2,Transporters, GABA,Transporters, GABA-Specific Neurotransmitter
D018377	Neurotransmitter Agents	Substances used for their pharmacological actions on any aspect of neurotransmitter systems. Neurotransmitter agents include agonists, antagonists, degradation inhibitors, uptake inhibitors, depleters, precursors, and modulators of receptor function.	Nerve Transmitter Substance,Neurohormone,Neurohumor,Neurotransmitter Agent,Nerve Transmitter Substances,Neurohormones,Neurohumors,Neuromodulator,Neuromodulators,Neuroregulator,Neuroregulators,Neurotransmitter,Neurotransmitters,Substances, Nerve Transmitter,Transmitter Substances, Nerve,Substance, Nerve Transmitter,Transmitter Substance, Nerve
D026901	Membrane Transport Proteins	Membrane proteins whose primary function is to facilitate the transport of molecules across a biological membrane. Included in this broad category are proteins involved in active transport (BIOLOGICAL TRANSPORT, ACTIVE), facilitated transport and ION CHANNELS.	Biological Pump,Membrane Transport Protein,Membrane Transporter,Membrane Transporters,Metabolic Pump,Permease,Biological Pumps,Metabolic Pumps,Permeases,Pump, Biologic,Pump, Biological,Pump, Metabolic,Pumps, Biological,Pumps, Metabolic,Biologic Pump,Protein, Membrane Transport,Transport Protein, Membrane,Transport Proteins, Membrane,Transporter, Membrane,Transporters, Membrane