GABA(A) receptors are the major inhibitory transmitter receptors in the central nervous system. They are chloride ion channels that can be opened by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and are the targets of action of a variety of pharmacologically and clinically important drugs. GABA(A) receptors are composed of five subunits that can belong to different subunit classes. The existence of 19 different subunits gives rise to the formation of a large variety of distinct GABA(A) receptor subtypes in the brain. The majority of GABA(A) receptors seems to be composed of two alpha, two beta and one gamma subunit and the occurrence of a defined subunit stoichiometry and arrangement in alphabetagamma receptors strongly indicates that assembly of GABA(A) receptors proceeds via defined pathways. Based on the differential ability of subunits to interact with each other, a variety of studies have been performed to identify amino acid sequences or residues important for assembly. Such residues might be involved in direct protein-protein interactions, or in stabilizing direct contact sites in other regions of the subunit. Several homo-oligomeric or hetero-oligomeric assembly intermediates could be the starting point of GABA(A) receptor assembly but so far no unequivocal assembly mechanism has been identified. Possible mechanisms of assembly of GABA(A) receptors are discussed in the light of recent publications.

中文翻译：

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GABA（A）受体的组装（综述）。

GABA（A）受体是中枢神经系统中主要的抑制性递质受体。它们是可由γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）打开的氯离子通道，是多种药理和临床上重要药物的作用靶标。GABA（A）受体由五个亚单位组成，可以属于不同的亚单位类别。19个不同的亚基的存在导致大脑中大量不同的GABA（A）受体亚型的形成。大多数GABA（A）受体似乎由两个α，两个β和一个γ亚基组成，并且在字母γ受体中存在确定的亚基化学计量和排列，这强烈表明GABA（A）受体的组装是通过确定的途径进行的。基于亚基彼此相互作用的差异能力，已经进行了各种研究以鉴定对于组装重要的氨基酸序列或残基。这样的残基可能参与直接的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用，或稳定亚基其他区域的直接接触位点。几种同聚或异聚组装中间体可能是GABA（A）受体组装的起点，但到目前为止，还没有明确的组装机制。根据最近的出版物讨论了GABA（A）受体组装的可能机制。或稳定亚基其他区域的直接接触部位。几种同聚或异聚组装中间体可能是GABA（A）受体组装的起点，但是到目前为止，还没有明确的组装机制。根据最近的出版物讨论了GABA（A）受体组装的可能机制。或稳定亚基其他区域的直接接触部位。几种同聚或异聚组装中间体可能是GABA（A）受体组装的起点，但到目前为止，还没有明确的组装机制。根据最近的出版物讨论了GABA（A）受体组装的可能机制。