Transporters

The Vesicular GABA Amino Acid Transporter (VGAT) is responsible for transport of the inhibitory neurotransmitter into synaptic vesicles. The VGAT protein is expressed in synaptic vesicles of both glycine and GABAergic synapses throughout the CNS. Expression of VGAT protein changes during development and also in response to patterns of neuronal activity.

NR2A (Glutamate [NMDA] receptor subunit epsilon-1 or NMDAR2A) is a glutamate-gated ion channel with high calcium permeability and voltage-dependent sensitivity to magnesium. The NMDA channel is involved in long-term potentiation, an activity-dependent increase in synaptic transmission underlying memory and learning. NR2A is a heteromer composed of a zeta subunit (GRIN1), an epsilon subunit (GRIN2A, GRIN2B, GRIN2C or GRIN2D) and a third subunit (GRIN3A or GRIN3B). NR2A activation requires binding of agonist to both types of subunits.

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a very large structure made up of at least 50 different proteins that span the double membrane of the nuclear envelope functioning as a gateway for macromolecular traffic between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Discrete nuclear pore complex proteins or nucleoporins such as NUP98, NUP180 and p62 have been implicated in autoimmune disease and cancer. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) frequently produce autoantibodies against p62 and NUP180 while NUP98 translocations have been found in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

Dynamin-1 is a microtubule-associated force-producing protein involved in producing microtubule bundles and able to bind and hydrolyze GTP. Dynamin-1 is involved in vesicular trafficking processes, and is involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis. Phosphorylation of Ser774 by GSK3 has been shown to control activity-dependent bulk endocytosis of synaptic vesicles.

Slc22a1 (Solute carrier family 22 member 1) is a polyspecific organic cation transporter. In the liver, kidney, intestine, and other organs are critical for elimination of many endogenous small organic cations as well as a wide array of drugs and environmental toxins. Slc22a1 protein contains twelve putative transmembrane domains and is a plasma integral membrane protein. It is widely expressed with high level in liver.