title: A rat brain cDNA encodes enzymatically active GABA transaminase and provides a molecular probe for GABA-catabolizing cells.
abstract: cDNAs encoding gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-T) were isolated from a lambda ZAP rat hippocampal cDNA expression library by two independent cloning methods, immunological screening with an antimouse GABA-T antibody and plaque hybridization with a GABA-T cDNA probe derived by polymerase chain reaction. We have produced enzymatically active GABA-T from a rat brain cDNA containing the full-length GABA-T coding region. Our rat brain GABA-T cDNAs hybridize to mRNAs in brain and peripheral tissues, including liver, kidney, and testis. We have also detected GABA-T mRNA in GABAergic cells of rat cerebellar cortex by in situ hybridization. Our rat brain GABA-T probe hybridizes to Purkinje, basket, stellate, and Golgi II cells, the same GABAergic neurons previously shown to contain glutamate decarboxylase GAD65 and GAD67.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Institute, University of California-Los Angeles 90024-1606.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Medina-Kauwe
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Tillakaratne
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Tobin
mesh_terms: D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000737:chemistry; D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase