Description
Product Characteristics:
Members of the ligand-gated ion channel receptor family are characterized by their fast transmitting response to neurotransmitters. Two important members of this family are the nicotinic acetylcholine and glutamate receptors, both of which are composed of five homologous subunits forming a transmembrane aqueous pore. These transmembrane receptors change conformation in response to their cognate neurotransmitter. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are found at the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction and bind acetylcholine molecules, allowing ions to move through the pore. Glutamate receptors are found in the postsynaptic membrane of cells in the central nervous system. The activity that is generated at the synapse by the binding of acetylcholine is terminated by acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that rapidly hydrolyzes acetylcholine. AChR?, also known as LNCR2, PAOD2, NACHRA3 or CHRNA3, is a 505 amino acid multi-pass membrane protein that belongs to the ligand-gated ion channel receptor family and may play a role in neurotransmission.
Subcellular location: Cell membrane
Synonyms: ACHA3_HUMAN, Cholinergic receptor neuronal nicotinic alpha polypeptide 3, Cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 3, Cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha polypeptide 3, CHRNA 3, CHRNA3, CHRNA-3, NACHRA 3, NACHRA3, Neuronal acetylcholine receptor protein alpha 3 chain precursor, Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha 3, Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-3, Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 3 subunit.
Target Information: This locus encodes a member of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor family of proteins. Members of this family of proteins form pentameric complexes comprised of both alpha and beta subunits. This locus encodes an alpha-type subunit, as it contains characteristic adjacent cysteine residues. The encoded protein is a ligand-gated ion channel that likely plays a role in neurotransmission. Polymorphisms in this gene have been associated with an increased risk of smoking initiation and an increased susceptibility to lung cancer. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2009]