Correlations in ion channel mRNA in rhythmically active neurons.
BACKGROUND
To what extent do identified neurons from different animals vary in their expression of ion channel genes? In neurons of the same type, is ion channel expression highly variable and/or is there any relationship between ion channel expression that is conserved?


RESULTS
To address these questions we measured ion channel mRNA in large cells (LCs) of the crab cardiac ganglion. We cloned a calcium channel, caco, and a potassium channel, shaker. Using single-cell quantitative PCR, we measured levels of mRNA for these and 6 other different ion channels in cardiac ganglion LCs. Across the population of LCs we measured 3-9 fold ranges of mRNA levels, and we found correlations in the expression of many pairs of conductances


CONCLUSIONS
In previous measurements from the crab stomatogastric ganglion (STG), ion channel expression was variable, but many pairs of channels had correlated expression. However, each STG cell type had a unique combination of ion channel correlations. Our findings from the crab cardiac ganglion are similar, but the correlations in the LCs are different from those in STG neurons, supporting the idea that such correlations could be markers of cell identity or activity.
Tobin
Anne-Elise
AE
Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. atobin@brandeis.edu
Cruz-Bermúdez
Nelson D
ND
Marder
Eve
E
Schulz
David J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003445:Crustacea; D017931:DNA Primers; D006321:Heart; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics*
D017931:DNA Primers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015222:Sodium Channels
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