title: Mammalian glutaminase isozymes in brain.
abstract: Glutamine/glutamate homeostasis must be exquisitely regulated in mammalian brain and glutaminase (GA, E.C. 3.5.1.2) is one of the main enzymes involved. The products of GA reaction, glutamate and ammonia, are essential metabolites for energy and biosynthetic purposes but they are also hazardous compounds at concentrations beyond their normal physiological thresholds. The classical pattern of GA expression in mammals has been recently challenged by the discovery of novel transcript variants and protein isoforms. Furthermore, the interactome of brain GA is also starting to be uncovered adding a new level of regulatory complexity. GA may traffic in brain and unexpected locations, like cytosol and nucleus, have been found for GA isoforms. Finally, the expression of GA in glial cells has been reported and its potential implications in ammonia homeostasis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Laboratorio de Química de Proteínas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga 29071, Spain. marquez@uma.es
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Márquez
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Campos-Sandoval
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peñalver
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosina
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Matés
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín-Rufián
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005972:Glutaminase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D005972:Glutaminase