title: Molecular identification and expression of the NMDA receptor NR1 subunit in the leech.
abstract: The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is involved in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes in vertebrates, but there have been few studies examining the role of invertebrate NMDA receptors. In the leech, pharmacological evidence suggests that NMDARs contribute to synaptic plasticity, but there has been no molecular identification of NMDA receptors. In this report, a partial cDNA encoding the leech NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor (HirNR1) is presented. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction from single neurons of the leech central nervous system confirms HirNR1 expression in the Retzius (R), Anterior Pagoda (AP), Pressure (P), and Touch (T) neurons. Immunoblotting with an anti-NR1 antibody yielded a approximately 110 kDa protein, similar to the expected weight of the NR1 subunit (approximately 116 kDa). Finally, pairing pre- and postsynaptic activity elicited long-term potentiation in synapses between neurons expressing NR1 mRNA (P-to-AP synapse) and this potentiation was blocked by the NMDAR antagonist AP5.
authors.affiliation: Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Group, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Grey
authors.forename: Brenda L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Burrell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; D015870:Gene Expression; D007865:Leeches / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate