Abstract
Among the factors involved in the function of chemical synapses, the synthesis of the neurotransmitter to be released is a crucial event. This is particularly important in view of recent evidence indicating that in the case of catecholamines (Glowinski, 1975), acetylcholine (Molenaar and Polak, 1975) and GABA (Ryan and Roskoski, 1975; Tapia, 1976), there is a pool of newly synthesized transmitter from which it is preferentially released. The knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms controlling the activity of the neurotransmitter synthesizing enzymes is thus fundamental for the understanding of synaptic phenomena. In the present paper I will deal with some properties of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) relevant to the synaptic function of GABA.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bangham, A.D., 1972, Lipid bilayers and biomembranes, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 41: 753–776.
Bayón, A., Possani, L.D., and Tapia, R., 1977a, Kinetics of brain glutamate decarboxylase. Inhibition studies with N-(5′ -phosphopyridoxyl)amino acids, J. Neurochem. in press.
Bayón, A., Possani, L.D., Tapia, M., and Tapia, R., 1977b, Kinetics of brain glutamate decarboxylase. Interactions with glutamate, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and glutamate-pyridoxal 5′-phosphate Schiff base, J. Neurochem. in press.
Fonnum, F., 1968, The distribution of glutamate decarboxylase and aspartate transaminase in subcellular fractions of rat and guinea-pig brain, Biochem. J. 106: 401–412.
Fonnum, F., and Walberg, F., 1973, An estimation of the concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate decarboxylase in the inhibitory Purkinje axon terminals of the cat, Brain Res. 54: 115–127.
Glowinski, J., 1975, Properties and functions of intraneuronal monoamine compartments in central aminergic neurons, in “Handbook of Psychopharmacology”, Vol. 3 (L.L. Iversen, S.D. Iversen and S.H. Snyder, eds.), pp. 139–167, Plenum,New York.
Molenaar, P.C., and Polak, R.L., 1975, Preferential release of newly synthesized acetylcholine by cortex slices from rat brain, in. “Metabolic Compartmentation and Neurotransmission” (S. Berl, D.D. Clarke and D. Schneider, eds.), pp. 641–649, Plenum Press, New York.
Pérez de la Mora, M., Feria-Velasco, A., and Tapia, R., 1973, Pyridoxal phosphate and glutamate decarboxylase in subcellular particles of mouse brain and their relationship to convulsions, J. Neurochem. 20: 1575–1587.
Roberts, E., Wein, J., and Simonsen, D.G., 1964, γ-Aminobutyric acid (γABA), vitamin B6, and neuronal function- A speculative synthesis, Vitam. Horm. 22: 503–559.
Ryan, L.D., and Roskoski, R., Jr., 1975, Selective release of newly synthesised and newly captured GABA from synaptosomes by potassium depolarisation, Nature 258: 254–256.
Salganicoff, L., and De Robertis, E., 1965, Subcellular distribution of the enzymes of the glutamic acid, glutamine and) γ-aminobutyric acid cycles in rat brain, J. Neurochem. 12: 287–309.
Tapia, R., 1974, The role of γ-aminobutyric acid metabolism in the regulation of cerebral excitability, in “Neurohumoral Coding of Brain Function” (R.D. Myers and R.R. Drucker-Colin, eds.), pp. 3–26, Plenum Press, New York.
Tapia, R., 1975, Biochemical Pharmacology of GABA in CNS, in “Handbook of Psychopharmacology”, Vol. 4 ( L.L. Iversen, S.D. Iversen and S.H. Snyder, eds.), pp. 1–58, Plenum Press, New York.
Tapia, R., 1976, Evidence for a synthesis-dependent release of GABA, in “Transport Phenomena in the Nervous System” (G. Levi, L. Battistin and A. Lajtha, eds.), pp. 385–394, Plenum Press, New York.
Tapia, R., and Pasantes, H., 1971, Relationships between pyridoxal phosphate availability, activity of vitamin B6- dependent enzymes and convulsions, Brain Res. 29: 111–122.
Tapia, R., and Sandoval, M.E., 1971, Study on the inhibition of brain glutamate decarboxylase by pyridoxal phosphate oxime-O-acetic acid, J. Neurochem. 18: 2051–2059.
Tapia, R., Pérez de la Mora, M., and Massieu, G., 1967, Modifications of brain glutamate decarboxylase activity by pyridoxal phosphate- γ -glutamyl hydrazone, Biochem. Pharmacol. 16: 1211–1218.
Tapia, R., Pérez de la Mora, M., and Massieu, G., 1969, Correlative changes of pyridoxal kinase, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and glutamate decarboxylase in brain, during convulsions, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 166: 257–266.
Tapia, R., Sandoval, M.E., and Contreras, P., 1975, Evidence for a role of glutamate decarboxylase activity as a regulatory mechanism of cerebral excitability, J. Neurochem. 24: 1283–1285.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1978 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tapia, R., Covarrubias, M. (1978). Glutamate Decarboxylase, Properties and the Synaptic Function of GABA. In: Fonnum, F. (eds) Amino Acids as Chemical Transmitters. NATO Advanced Study Institutes Series, vol 16. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4030-0_32
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4030-0_32
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4032-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-4030-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive