FEATURES

FAMILY

ligand-gated ion channel (TC 1.A.9) family

DESCRIPTION

Also known as GLRA1_HUMAN, GLRA1. Glycine receptors are ligand-gated chloride channels (PubMed:23994010, PubMed:25730860). Channel opening is triggered by extracellular glycine (PubMed:2155780, PubMed:7920629, PubMed:14551753, PubMed:16144831, PubMed:22715885, PubMed:22973015, PubMed:25973519, PubMed:9009272). Channel opening is also triggered by taurine and beta-alanine (PubMed:16144831, PubMed:9009272). Channel characteristics depend on the subunit composition; heteropentameric channels are activated by lower glycine levels and display faster desensitization (PubMed:14551753). Plays an important role in the down-regulation of neuronal excitability (PubMed:8298642, PubMed:9009272). Contributes to the generation of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (PubMed:25445488). Channel activity is potentiated by ethanol (PubMed:25973519). Potentiation of channel activity by intoxicating levels of ethanol contribute to the sedative effects of ethanol (By similarity). Homopentamer (in vitro) (PubMed:22715885, PubMed:22973015, PubMed:23994010, PubMed:25730860). Interacts with GLRB to form heteropentameric channels; this is probably the predominant form in vivo (PubMed:22715885, PubMed:22973015, PubMed:25445488). Heteropentamer composed of two GLRA1 and three GLRB (PubMed:22715885). Heteropentamer composed of three GLRA1 and two GLRB (PubMed:22973015). Both homopentamers and heteropentamers form functional ion channels, but their characteristics are subtly different (PubMed:14551753, PubMed:22715885, PubMed:22973015, PubMed:25445488, PubMed:23994010, PubMed:25730860).

EXTERNAL LINKS

GLRA1

Glycine receptor subunit alpha-1

GLRA1

Molecular Synopsis