A neurotransmitter transporter encoded by the Drosophila inebriated gene.
Behavioral and electrophysiological studies on mutants defective in the Drosophila inebriated (ine) gene demonstrated increased excitability of the motor neuron. In this paper, we describe the cloning and sequence analysis of ine. Mutations in ine were localized on cloned DNA by restriction mapping and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) mapping of ine mutants. DNA from the ine region was then used to isolate an ine cDNA. In situ hybridization of ine transcripts to developing embryos revealed expression of this gene in several cell types, including the posterior hindgut, Malpighian tubules, anal plate, garland cells, and a subset of cells in the central nervous system. The ine cDNA contains an open reading frame of 658 amino acids with a high degree of sequence similarity to members of the Na+/Cl(-)-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family. Members of this family catalyze the rapid reuptake of neurotransmitters released into the synapse and thereby play key roles in controlling neuronal function. We conclude that ine mutations cause increased excitability of the Drosophila motor neuron by causing the defective reuptake of the substrate neurotransmitter of the ine transporter and thus overstimulation of the motor neuron by this neurotransmitter. From this observation comes a unique opportunity to perform a genetic dissection of the regulation of excitability of the Drosophila motor neuron.
Soehnge
H
H
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251, USA.
Huang
X
X
Becker
M
M
Whitley
P
P
Conover
D
D
Stern
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D050480:Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C102353:INE protein, Drosophila; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D050480:Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; C493233:SerT protein, Drosophila; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins