title: A GABAA receptor alpha1 subunit tagged with green fluorescent protein requires a beta subunit for functional surface expression.
abstract: gamma-Aminobutyric acid, type A (GABAA) receptors, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system, are heteropentameric proteins assembled from distinct subunit classes with multiple subtypes, alpha(1-6), beta(1-4), gamma(1-3), delta(1), and epsilon(1). To examine the process of receptor assembly and targeting, we tagged the carboxyl terminus of the GABAA receptor alpha1 subunit with red-shifted enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Xenopus oocytes were injected with cRNA of this fusion protein, alpha1-EGFP, alone or in combination with cRNA of GABAA receptor beta2, gamma2, or beta2+gamma2 subunits. Within 72 h after injection, EGFP fluorescence was visible in all fusion protein-injected cells. The fluorescence was associated with the plasmalemma only when the beta2 subunit was co-injected with alpha1-EGFP. Texas Red-conjugated immunolabeling of EGFP on nonpermeabilized cells demonstrated that EGFP was localized extracellularly. Hence, the COOH terminus of the alpha1 subunit is extracellular. Two-electrode voltage clamp of alpha1-EGFPbeta2- and alpha1-EGFPbeta2 gamma2-injected oocytes demonstrates that these cells express functional receptors, with EC50 values for GABA and diazepam similar to wild-type receptors. Thus, a COOH-terminal tag of the alpha1 subunit appears to be functionally silent, providing a useful marker for studies of GABAA receptor expression, assembly, transport, targeting, and clustering. Moreover, the beta2 subunit is required for receptor assembly and surface expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: J X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Boileau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czajkowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins