EXPRESSION OF NATIVE GABA(A) RECEPTORS IN XENOPUS OOCYTES INJECTED WITH RAT-BRAIN SYNAPTOSOMES

Oocytes from the frog Xenopus laevis were shown recently to express na tive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors after injection with purified T orpedo electroplaque membrane vesicles. injection of Xenopus oocytes w ith rat cortical or nigral synaptosomes has now been shown to result i n the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor- mediated Cl- currents. Electrophysiological characterization of the re sponses of these receptors to GABA and other agents revealed that they were incorporated into the oocyte membrane and that they retained the ir original pharmacological properties, such as sensitivity to Cl- cha nnel blockers, benzodiazepines, and general anesthetics. These results suggest that this approach to the expression of heterologous proteins in Xenopus oocytes may facilitate the study of native synaptic protei ns derived from brain tissue.