Cell surface expression of the metabotropic glutamate receptor type l alpha is regulated by the C-terminal tail

The cell surface expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 splic e variants has been studied using cell surface biotinylation. Go-expression of the last 86 residues of the C-terminal tail of mGluR1 alpha (F2-protein ) with mGluR1 alpha caused a significant reduction of the amount of the cel l surface receptor when compared to that in cells transfected with mGlur1 a lpha alone, and this was accompanied by a reduction in the production of in ositol following agonist stimulation of the cells. In contrast, cell surfac e expression of mGluR1 beta was unaltered by co-expression with the F2-prot ein. These results suggest that the C-terminal tail of mGluR1 alpha regulat es cell surface expression of the receptor. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.