A novel choline cotransporter sequestration compartment in cholinergic neurons revealed by selective endosomal ablation.

The sodium-dependent, high affinity choline transporter - choline cotransporter - (ChCoT, aka: cho-1, CHT1, CHT) undergoes constitutive and regulated trafficking between the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic compartments. The pathways and regulatory mechanisms of this trafficking are not well understood. We report herein studies involving selective endosomal ablation to further our understanding of the trafficking of the ChCoT.

Regulation of ANKRD9 expression by lipid metabolic perturbations.

Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) defects cause abnormal lipid accumulation in various tissues, which provides an opportunity to uncover novel genes that are involved in lipid metabolism. During a gene expression study in the riboflavin deficient induced FAO disorder in the chicken, we discovered the dramatic increase in mRNA levels of an uncharacterized gene, ANKRD9. No functions have been ascribed to ANKRD9 and its orthologs, although their sequences are well conserved among vertebrates.

Cloning and partial characterization of four plasmalemmal-associated syntaxin isoforms in Limulus.

We describe herein the cloning of a group of syntaxins in Limulus that are associated with the plasma membrane. Initially, multiple degenerate oligonucleotide primers (DOP) and probes were designed from sequences of known plasma membrane associated syntaxins. Combined experiments using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), colony hybridization and reverse dot blot yielded three distinct probes.

Molecular cloning and identification of a putative PKC epsilon cDNA from Limulus polyphemus brain.

The protein kinase C (PKC) family of enzymes is broadly distributed and has been implicated in a diverse array of cellular functions. Recent evidence supporting PKC involvement in the regulation of the Limulus choline cotransporter prompted us to clone PKC from a Limulus central nervous system (CNS) cDNA library. An Aplysia californica calcium independent PKC (Apl II) cDNA probe was used to screen the library and 5' RACE SMART PCR was used to obtain the full-length sequence.