Synaptic vesicles immunoisolated from rat cerebral cortex contain high levels of glutamate

Peter M. Burger, Ehrenfried Mehl, Patricia L. Cameron, Peter R. Maycox, Marion Baumert, Friedrich Lottspeich, Pietro De Camilli, Reinhard Jahn

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

259 Scopus citations

Abstract

L-Glutamate is regarded as the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian CNS. However, whether the released transmitter originates from a cytosolic pool or is discharged from synaptic vesicles by exocytosis (vesicle hypothesis) remains controversial. A problem with the general acceptance of the vesicle hypothesis is that the enrichment of glutamate in synaptic vesicles has not been convincingly demonstrated. In the present study, we have analyzed the glutamate content of synaptic vesicles isolated from rat cerebral cortex by a novel immunobead procedure. A large amount of glutamate was present in these vesicles when a proton electrochemical gradient was maintained across the vesicle membrane during isolation. Compared with the starting fraction, glutamate was enriched more than 10-fold relative to other amino acids. Addition of N-ethylmaleimide prevented glutamate loss during isolation. Isotope exchange experiments revealed that exchange or re-uptake of glutamate after homogenization is negligible. We conclude that rat brain synaptic vesicles contain high levels of glutamate in situ.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)715-720
Number of pages6
JournalNeuron
Volume3
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1989
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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