Radiation hybrid mapping of 11 alpha and beta nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes in Rattus norvegicus

Acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter of the vestibular efferents and a wide variety of muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are expr essed in the vestibular periphery. To date, 11 nicotinic subunits (alpha an d beta) have been reported in mammals. Previously, our group [Brain Res. 77 8 (1997) 409] reported that there nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha an d beta subunits were differentially expressed in the vestibular periphery o f the rat. To begin an understanding of the molecular genetics of these ves tibular efferents, this study examined the chromosomal locations of these n icotinic acetylicholine receptor genes in the rat (Rattus norvegicus). Usin g radiation hybrid mapping and a rat radiation hybrid map server (www.rgd.m cw.edu/RHMAP SERVER/), we determined the chromosomal position for each of t hese genes. The alpha2-7, alpha9, alpha 10, and beta2-4 nicotinic subunits mapped to the following chromosomes: alpha2, chr. 15; alpha3, chr. 8; alpha 4, chr. 3; alpha5, chr. 8; alpha6, chr. 16; alpha7, chr. 1: alpha9, chr. 14 ; alpha 10, chr. 7; beta2, chr. 2; beta3, chr. 16: and beta4, chr. 8. With the location for each of these nicotinic subunits known, it is now possible to develop consomic and/or congenic strains of rats that can be used to st udy the functional genomics of each of these subunits. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.