EAAT3 - Excitatory Amino-acid Transporter 3 - EAAC1 - SLC1A1
Family:
Glutamate Transporters
Subgroups:
The family of glutamate transporters contains two subclasses:
EAAT: Exitatory amino acid transporters, dependent on an electrochemical gradient of sodium ions, with five members: EAAT1 - EAAT5
VGLUT: Vesicular glutamat transporters, not dependent on an electrochemical gradient, with four members: VGLUT1 - VGLUT3, Sialin
Topology:
EAAT: The proteins contain eight transmembrane domains and can form homo- and heteromers, where each monomer is a functional unit capable of substrate permeation.
VGLUT: A putative model propose twelve transmembrane segments for VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 and ten for VGLUT3
Function:
In the brain, EAATs remove glutamate from the synaptic cleft and extrasynaptic sites via glutamate reuptake into glial cells and neurons, while VGLUTs move glutamate from the cell cytoplasm into synaptic vesicles. Glutamate transporters also transport aspartate and are present in virtually all peripheral tissues, including the heart, liver, testes, and bone.
EAAT3: Background Information
The excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3; also known as EAAC1) is a sodium-dependent neuronal uptake transporter encoded by the slc1a1 gene.
Gene:
slc1a1
Human Protein:
UniProt P43005
Tissue:
mature neurons, where it is distributed in somata and dendrites.
Function/ Application:
EAAT3 functions as a co-transporter, coupling the uphill
substrate transport into the cells to the electrochemical gradients of sodium and potassium.
Pathology:
Dysfunction of glutamate transporters leads to increased extracellular glutamate levels, thereby causing neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration.
Interaction:
GTRAP3-18
Substrates:
Glutamate, aspartate, cysteine
Assays:
SURFE2R transporter assays