5'-HETEROGENEITY OF THE HUMAN EXCITATORY AMINO-ACID TRANSPORTER CDNA EAAT2 (GLT-1)

Two novel transcripts of the human excitatory amino acid transporter E AAT2 (GLT-1) were cloned using PCR cloning techniques. Comparative seq uence analysis of the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of five EAAT2 trans cripts led to the definition of five putative 5'-untranslated exons th at are combined in a variable manner. Alternative splicing is a likely mechanism for the 5' complexity of the EAAT2 cDNA. The potential func tional meaning of this finding such as differential expression of the EAAT2 transcripts in the central nervous system remains to be demonstr ated. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.