VMAT2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

solute carrier family 18 (vesicular monoamine), member 2
Identifiers
Symbol SLC18A2
Alt. Symbols VMAT2
Entrez 6571
HUGO 10935
OMIM 193001
RefSeq NM_003054
UniProt Q05940
Other data
Locus Chr. 10 q25

The Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 or VMAT2 is an integral membrane protein that acts to transport monoamines—particularly neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine,serotonin, and histamine—from cellular cytosol into synaptic vesicles.

Contents

[edit] Binding sites and ligands

One binding site is that of DTBZ. Lobeline binds at this site. At a distinct site dextroamphetamine binds. Its activity at VMAT2 is a crucial part of its monoamine releasing action.

[edit] Impairment and dysfunction

Cocaine users display a marked reduction in VMAT2 immunoreactivity. Sufferers of cocaine-induced mood disorders displayed a significant loss of VMAT2 immunoreactivity, this might reflect damage to striatal dopamine fibers. These neuronal changes could play a role in causing disordered mood and motivational processes in more severely addicted users.[1]

[edit] "God gene"

Geneticist Dean Hamer identified the VMAT2 gene as correlating with spirituality using data from a smoking survey, which included questions intended to measure "self-transcendence". Hamer performed the spirituality study on the side, independently of the National Cancer Institute smoking study. His findings were published in the mass-market book The God Gene: How Faith Is Hard-Wired Into Our Genes.[2][3] According to Carl Zimmer, Hamer's study has not been academically published and depends on a minor statistical variance.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Little, Karley Y.; David M. Krolewski, Lian Zhang, Bader J. Cassin (2003-01-01). "Loss of striatal vesicular monoamine transporter protein (VMAT2) in human cocaine users". American journal of psychiatry 160: pp. 47–55. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.47. 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.47. 
  2. ^ Day, Elizabeth (2004-11-15). 'God gene' discovered by scientist behind gay DNA theory. Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  3. ^ Kluger, Jeffrey; Jeff Chu, Broward Liston, Maggie Sieger, Daniel Williams (2004-10-25). Is God in our genes?. TIME. Time Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  4. ^ Zimmer, Carl (October 2004). Faith-Boosting Genes: A search for the genetic basis of spirituality. Scientific American. 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Membrane transport protein: neurotransmitter transporters
Vesicular
Other
v • d • e
Membrane proteins, carrier proteins: membrane transport proteins
ABC-transporter
A1, A2, A3, A4, A7, A8, A12, B1

B2-3, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B9, B11

C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, C8-9, C10, C13, C11

D1, D2, D3, D4, E1, F1, F2

G1, G2, G4, Sterolin (G5, G8)
Solute carrier
1A1-7, 1A1, 1A2, 1A3, 1A4, 1A5, 2A1, 2A2, 2A3, 2A4, 2A5, 2A6, 2A8, 2A9, 2A10, 2A12, 3A1, 3A2, 4A1, 4A2, 4A3, 4A4, 4A5, 4A7, 4A8, 4A11, 5A1-2, 5A1, 5A3, 5A5, 5A8, 6A1, 6A2, 6A3, 6A4, 6A5, 6A8, 6A9, 6A19, 7A1, 7A2, 7A3, 7A4, 7A5, 7A7, 7A8, 7A9, 7A11, 8A1-3, 9A1, 9A2, 9A3, 9A3R1, 9A3R2, 9A5, 9A6, 9A8, 10A1, 10A2, 10A3, 10A7, 11A1, 11A2, 11A3, 12A1-2, 12A3, 12A4, 12A5, 12A6, 12A7, 14A1, 13A3, 14A2, 15A1, 15A2, 16A1, 16A2, 16A3, 16A4, 17A1, 17A5, 17A6-8, 17A7, 18A1, 18A2, 18A3, 19A1, 19A2, 19A3, 20A1, 20A2, 22A1, 22A2, 22A3, 22A4, 22A5, 22A6, 22A7, 22A9, 22A11, 22A12, 22A18, 23A1, 23A2, 24A1-2, 24A5, 25A1, 25A3, 25A4, 25A4-6, 25A8, 25A10, 25A11, 25A12, 25A13, 25A14, 25A15, 25A17, 25A19, 25A20, 25A27, 25A31, 25A37, 25A39, 26A2, 26A3, 26A4, 26A5, 26A6, 26A7, 26A8, 27A1, 27A2, 27A3, 27A4, 28A1, 28A2, 29A1, 29A2, 29A4, 30A4, 30A7, 30A8, 31A1, 31A2, 32A1, 34A1, 34A2, 34A3, 35A1, 35A2, 35B2, 35B4, 35C1, 36A1, 37A4, 38A2, 38A3, 39A1, 39A2, 39A3, 39A4, 39A6, 39A7, 40A1, 43A1 44A1, 44A2, 44A4, 45A2, O1A2, O1B1, O1B3, O2B1, O431, O4A1
Monosaccharide
Other