The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1996
Filed:
May. 01, 1992
Robert T Fremeau, Jr, Durham, NC (US);
Marc G Caron, Durham, NC (US);
Randy D Blakely, Stone Mountain, GA (US);
Emory University, Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
The anatomical distribution, nucleic acid sequence, pharmacological properties, and inferred structural features of a cDNA encoding a high affinity, Na.sup.+ -dependent rat brain L-proline transporter is described. The expression of this carrier in subpopulations of putative glutamatergic pathways supports a specific role for L-proline in excitatory amino acid neurotransmission. The cloned transporter cDNA predicts a 637 amino acid protein with 12 putative transmembrane domains and exhibits 44%-45% amino acid sequence identity with other neurotransmitter transporters. These findings support a synaptic role for L-proline in specific excitatory pathways in the CNS. The sequence can be used for expression of the transporter molecule, to make probes for the same protein from other species and related proteins, in diagnostic assays, and to design functional and structural analogs for use in research and possible clinical treatments. The protein is useful in making antibodies, conducting research studies, and design of therapeutic transporter modulators for clinical treatments.