A FAMILY OF GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR GENES - EVIDENCE FOR THE FORMATION OF HETEROMULTIMERIC RECEPTORS WITH DISTINCT CHANNEL PROPERTIES

We have isolated two cDNA clones (GIuR-K2 and GIuRK3) that share considerable sequence identity with the previously described glutamate receptor subunit, GIuRK1. The three glutamate receptor subunits show significant sequence conservation with the glutamine binding component of the glutamine permease of E. coli. Each of these clones encodes a channel responsive to both kainate and AMPA. The coexpression of GIuR-K2 with either GluR-K3 or GIuR-K1 results in the formation of channels whose current-voltage relationships differ from those of the individual subunits alone and more closely approximate the properties of kainate receptors in neurons. These observations indicate that the kainate/quisqualate receptors are encoded by a family of genes and are likely to be composed of hetero-oligomers of at least two distinct subunits. © 1990.