CLONING AND TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF A NOVEL P2X RECEPTOR FROM RAT-BRAIN

We have isolated the cDNA for a novel member (P2X(6)) of the ATP-gated ion channel family. The rat P2X(6) nucleotide sequence encodes a 379 amino acid protein that conserves all the structural features of previ ously cloned P2X receptors, including the two putative transmembrane d omains predicted by hydrophobicity plots. In situ hybridization analys is of rat brain sections showed a wide pattern of mRNA expression that is virtually identical to that already described for P2X(4). Injectio n of P2X(6) cRNA in Xenopus oocytes did not give rise to ATP-activated channels. Coexpression of P2X(6) with P2X(4) subunits produced curren ts which were not discernibly different from those of P2X(4) expressed alone. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.