MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF GLUTAMATE RECEPTORS IN FRESHWATER SNAILS

该子项目是利用NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为中心，不一定是研究者所在机构。谷氨酸是一种神经递质，在脊椎动物中，通常通过其对几种充分表征的受体的作用而参与初级兴奋性神经传递、学习和记忆、癫痫和神经退行性疾病。在无脊椎动物中，谷氨酸通过受体介导行为，这些受体的特征不太清楚。已知谷氨酸通过介导兴奋或抑制的受体来控制有肺类软体动物（如池螺、蜗牛和Helisoma）的进食行为;这些受体仅部分表征。两个与哺乳动物兴奋性亚基同源的受体亚基已被克隆，但只有一个已被生理学特征。我们假设存在一个或多个类似的受体Helisoma，因为谷氨酸兴奋运动神经元控制一个阶段的喂养。本研究的目标是克隆和序列兴奋性谷氨酸受体从颊神经节的三卷Helisoma和光滑双脐螺，后者的选择，因为基因组计划正在进行的基础上，其医学重要性作为中间宿主的曼氏血吸虫。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that, in vertebrates, is usually involved in primary excitatory neurotransmission, learning and memory, epilepsy and neurodegenerative disorders through its actions on several well characterized receptors. In invertebrates, glutamate mediates behaviors through receptors that are less well characterized. Glutamate is known to control feeding behavior in pulmonate mollusks like the pond snails Lymnaea and Helisoma through receptors that mediate either excitation or inhibition; these receptors are only partially characterized. Two receptor subunits with homology to mammalian excitatory subunits have been cloned from Lymnaea, but only one has been characterized physiologically. We hypothesize the existence of one or more similar receptors in Helisoma since glutamate excites motor neurons controlling one phase of feeding. The goal of this research is to clone and sequence excitatory glutamate receptors from the buccal ganglia of both Helisoma trivolvis and Biomphalaria glabrata, the latter chosen because a genome project is underway based on its medical importance as the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni.