HUMAN HIGH-AFFINITY, NA-DEPENDENT L-GLUTAMATE()L-ASPARTATE TRANSPORTER GLAST-1 (EAAT-1) - GENE STRUCTURE AND LOCALIZATION TO CHROMOSOME 5P11-P12/

The gene of the human L-glutamate transporter hGLAST-1 (EAAT-1) has be en isolated and characterized. The 1626 bp cDNA open reading frame (54 2 aa) is distributed over ten exons and at least 85 kb on chromosome 5 p11-p12, The gene is unrelated to any other previously described neuro transmitter transporter gene family, but its exon/intron structure cor responds largely to that of the Na+-dependent neutral amino acid trans porter ASCT-1. GLAST-1, ASCT-1 and the glutamate transporters GLT-1 an d EAAC-1 have strongly similar amino acid sequences. The L-glutamate t ransporter gene structures might help to understand the correlation of L-glutamate reuptake in neurodegenerative disorders.