Synaptic activity results in increased transcription as detected by the brain-specific probe pEL-48 in Torpedo marmorata.
The cloning of sequences expressed exclusively in neurons that use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter resulted in multiple probes. One of them, pEL-48, was used to detect changes in transcription patterns in the electric lobes of Torpedo marmorata. Fish were stimulated either electrically or mechanically to induce discharge of the electric organs; they were killed after different poststimulation time intervals. The RNA isolated from the electric lobes was quantified using Northern blots and pEL-48 as a probe; distinct changes in the quantity of pEL-48 complementary RNA could be detected. Partial sequencing of the clone pEL-48 revealed an unusual primary sequence with numerous short open reading frames, coding for hitherto unknown polypeptides.
Schmid
D W
DW
Physiologisch-chemisches Institut, Tübingen, Germany.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015342:DNA Probes; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D014101:Torpedo; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000109:Acetylcholine