Molecular cloning of a cDNA for the glutamate transporter of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

We cloned a cDNA for the glutamate transporter of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The nucleotide sequence and Northern blotting indicated that the glutamate transporter gene is transcribed as a polycistronic mRNA in C. elegans and that subsequent trans-splicing yields two distinct monocistronic mRNAs for the glutamate transporter and the ATP synthase c subunit, respectively. The yields of these monocistronic mRNAs were quite different, suggesting that glutamate transport in C. elegans is regulated in the posttranscriptional phase. The glutamate transporter of C. elegans shows about 50-60% sequence similarity with those of mammals. This is the first description of invertebrate glutamate transporters. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.