Grin2a
Developmental stage
Expressed during postnatal days P3 to P60, with increased expression after postnatal day 3.
Domain
Contains an N-terminal domain, a ligand-binding domain and a transmembrane domain. Agonist binding to the extracellular ligand-binding domains triggers channel gating.
A hydrophobic region that gives rise to the prediction of a transmembrane span does not cross the membrane, but is part of a discontinuously helical region that dips into the membrane and is probably part of the pore and of the selectivity filter.
Function
Component of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs) that function as heterotetrameric, ligand-gated cation channels with high calcium permeability and voltage-dependent block by Mg(2+) (Probable) (PubMed:11160393, PubMed:11929923, PubMed:1350383, PubMed:14602821, PubMed:30500536). NMDARs participate in synaptic plasticity for learning and memory formation by contributing to the slow phase of excitatory postsynaptic current, long-term synaptic potentiation, and learning (By similarity). Channel activation requires binding of the neurotransmitter L-glutamate to the GluN2 subunit, glycine or D-serine binding to the GluN1 subunit, plus membrane depolarization to eliminate channel inhibition by Mg(2+) (PubMed:16281028, PubMed:23625947, PubMed:24462099, PubMed:27618671, PubMed:27916457, PubMed:28468946, PubMed:30500536, Ref.2). NMDARs mediate simultaneously the potasium efflux and the influx of calcium and sodium (By similarity). Each GluN2 subunit confers differential attributes to channel properties, including activation, deactivation and desensitization kinetics, pH sensitivity, Ca2(+) permeability, and binding to allosteric modulators (PubMed:11160393, PubMed:11929923, PubMed:14602821, PubMed:23625947, PubMed:24607230, PubMed:28384476, PubMed:28760974, PubMed:9463421, Ref.2). Participates in the synaptic plasticity regulation through activation by the L-glutamate releaseed by BEST1, into the synaptic cleft, upon F2R/PAR-1 activation in astrocyte (By similarity).
Sequence Similarities
Belongs to the glutamate-gated ion channel (TC 1.A.10.1) family. NR2A/GRIN2A subfamily.
Tissue Specificity
Detected in brain cortex, olfactory bulb, hippocampus including the dentate gyrus, striatum, thalamus, superior colliculus, inferior colliculus, midbrain and cerebellum (at protein level) (PubMed:22960932, PubMed:9509416). Detected in brain cortex, hypothalamus and cerebellum (PubMed:1350383).
Cellular localization
- Cell projection
- Dendritic spine
- Cell membrane
- Multi-pass membrane protein
- Synapse
- Postsynaptic cell membrane
- Multi-pass membrane protein
- Cytoplasmic vesicle membrane
- Postsynaptic density membrane
- Expression at the dendrite cell membrane and at synapses is regulated by SORCS2 and the retromer complex.
Alternative names
GluN2A, Glutamate [NMDA] receptor subunit epsilon-1, N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2A, NMDAR2A, NR2A, Grin2a