CHRNA4

Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-4, also known as nAChRα4, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CHRNA4 gene.^[5][6] The protein encoded by this gene is a subunit of certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Alpha4-containing nAChRs (specifically the alpha4beta2 subtype) appear to play a crucial role in the addictive response to nicotine.

CHRNA4
Available structures PDB Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB List of PDB id codes 2LLY
Identifiers
Aliases	CHRNA4, BFNC, EBN, EBN1, NACHR, NACHRA4, NACRA4, cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 4 subunit
External IDs	OMIM: 118504; MGI: 87888; HomoloGene: 592; GeneCards: CHRNA4; OMA:CHRNA4 - orthologs
Gene location (Human) Chr. Chromosome 20 (human)[1] Band 20q13.33 Start 63,343,223 bp[1] End 63,378,401 bp[1]
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. Chromosome 2 (mouse)[2] Band 2 H4|2 103.54 cM Start 180,660,173 bp[2] End 180,685,339 bp[2]
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in right lobe of liver cingulate gyrus anterior cingulate cortex right frontal lobe prefrontal cortex Amygdala Brodmann area 9 gonad C1 segment Hypothalamus Top expressed in lumbar subsegment of spinal cord right kidney substantia nigra visual cortex primary visual cortex neural tube superior frontal gyrus dentate gyrus of hippocampal formation granule cell neural layer of retina medial dorsal nucleus More reference expression data BioGPS More reference expression data
Gene ontology Molecular function acetylcholine binding acetylcholine receptor activity ion channel activity ligand-gated ion channel activity extracellular ligand-gated ion channel activity protein binding acetylcholine-gated cation-selective channel activity transmembrane signaling receptor activity Cellular component integral component of membrane acetylcholine-gated channel complex postsynaptic membrane membrane plasma membrane synapse cell junction soma dendrite external side of plasma membrane dopaminergic synapse integral component of presynaptic membrane integral component of plasma membrane neuron projection Biological process regulation of dopamine secretion inhibitory postsynaptic potential response to hypoxia cognition locomotory behavior regulation of membrane potential response to nicotine membrane depolarization nervous system process synaptic transmission, cholinergic ion transport response to oxidative stress respiratory gaseous exchange by respiratory system behavioral response to nicotine B cell activation neuromuscular synaptic transmission exploration behavior action potential sensory perception of pain DNA repair calcium ion transport signal transduction chemical synaptic transmission excitatory postsynaptic potential acetylcholine receptor signaling pathway ion transmembrane transport regulation of synaptic vesicle exocytosis Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 1137 11438 Ensembl ENSG00000101204 ENSMUSG00000027577 UniProt P43681 O70174 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_000744 NM_001256573 NM_015730 RefSeq (protein) NP_000735 NP_001243502 NP_056545 Location (UCSC) Chr 20: 63.34 – 63.38 Mb Chr 2: 180.66 – 180.69 Mb PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
View/Edit Human View/Edit Mouse

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are members of a superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels that mediate fast signal transmission at synapses. After binding acetylcholine, these pentameric receptors respond by undergoing an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane. The protein encoded by this gene is an integral membrane receptor subunit that can interact with either nAChR beta-2 or nAChR beta-4 to form a functional receptor.

Mutations in this gene appear to account for a small proportion of the cases of nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy.^[6] It has also been associated with a rare form of movement disorder characterised by dyskinesia during periods of exercise or activity called paroxysmal kinesogenic dyskinesia.^[7]

Interactive pathway map

Click on genes, proteins and metabolites below to link to respective articles.^{[§ 1]}

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|alt=Nicotine Activity on Dopaminergic Neurons edit]]

Nicotine Activity on Dopaminergic Neurons edit

1. The interactive pathway map can be edited at WikiPathways: "NicotineDopaminergic_WP1602".

See also

• Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor