CLONING OF A FUNCTIONAL VESICULAR GABA AND GLYCINE TRANSPORTER BY SCREENING OF GENOME DATABASES

The unc-47 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans has been suggested to encod e a synaptic vesicle GABA transporter. Here we used hydropathy plot an alysis to identify a candidate vesicular GABA transporter in genomic s equences derived from a region of the physical map comprising unc-47. A mouse homologue was identified and cloned from EST database informat ion. In situ hybridization in rat brain revealed codistribution with b oth GABAergic and glycinergic neuronal markers, Moreover, expression i n COS-7 and PC12 cells induced an intracellular, glycine-sensitive GAB A uptake activity, These observations, consistent with previous data o n GABA and glycine uptake by synaptic vesicles, demonstrate that the m ouse clone encodes a vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter. (C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.