Background information
In the central nervous system GABA functions as the main inhibitory transmitter by increasing a Cl-conductance that inhibits neuronal firing (1). GABA has been shown to activate both ionotropic (GABAA) and metabotropic (GABAB) receptors as well as a third class of receptors called GABAC (2,3). In addition to GABA receptors, several proteins have been identified as regulators of GABA function, including GAD65, GAD67, GABA transporters and GABARAP (GABAA receptor-associated protein) (4-6). GABARAP associates with GABAA Rg2 to link GABAA receptors to the cytoskeleton (6). The GABARAP protein sequence is similar to light chain-3 of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) suggesting that it may be a type of MAP or a component of a MAP complex (6).
