| First Author | Jones A | Year | 1996 |
| Journal | J Neurochem | Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 907-16 |
| PubMed ID | 8752095 | Mgi Jnum | J:34955 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:82410 | Doi | 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1996.67030907.x |
| Citation | Jones A, et al. (1996) Characterization of a cerebellar granule cell-specific gene encoding the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor alpha 6 subunit. J Neurochem 67(3):907-16 |
| abstractText | The alpha 6 subunit of gamma-aminobutyric type A receptors is a marker for cerebellar granule cells and is an attractive candidate to study cell-specific gene expression in the brain. The mouse alpha 6 subunit gene has nine exons and spans approximately 14 kb. The largest intron (intron 8) is approximately 7 kb. For a minority of mRNAs, a missplice of the first exon was identified that disrupts the signal peptide and most likely results in the production of nonfunctional protein. The gene is transcribed from a TATA-less promoter that uses multiple start sites. Using transgenic mice, it was found that the proximal 0.5 kb of the rat alpha 6 gene upstream region confers expression on a beta-galactosidase reporter gene. One founder gave rise to a line with cerebellar granule cell-specific expression, although expression varied with lobule region. Other founders had ectopic but neuron-specific expression, with beta-galactosidase found in cerebellar Purkinje cells, neocortex, thalamus, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, and inferior colliculi. Thus, we have defined a region containing the basal promoter of the alpha 6 subunit gene and that confers neuron-specific expression. |
