Overview
- Peptide (C)KPRHQKDAKHPQMIK, corresponding to amino acid residues 546-560 of rat Nrxn1α (Accession Q63372). Extracellular, N-terminus.
- Western blot analysis of rat brain (lanes 1 and 3) and mouse brain (lanes 2 and 4) lysates:1,2. Anti-Neurexin 1α (extracellular) Antibody (#ANR-031), (1:400).
3,4. Anti-Neurexin 1α (extracellular) Antibody, preincubated with Neurexin 1α (extracellular) Blocking Peptide (#BLP-NR031).
- Expression of Nrxn1α in rat PC12 cellsCell surface detection of Nrxn1α in intact living rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. A. Extracellular staining of cells using Anti-Neurexin 1α (extracellular) Antibody (#ANR-031), (1:50), (red). B. Merge of A with the live view of the cell.
- Ichtchenko, K. et al. (1995) Cell 81, 435.
- Mosedale, M. et al. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287, 6350.
- Ullrich, B. et al. (1995) Neuron 14, 497.
- Zhang, C. et al. (2010) Neuron 66, 403.
- Laarakker, M.C. et al. (2010) PLoS One 7, e31503.
Neurexins (NRXNs) are a family of transmembrane, synaptic adhesion molecules. NRXNS were identified as receptors for α-latrotoxin, a presynaptic toxin that triggers massive neurotransmitter release1. Neurexins are largely presynaptic proteins that form a trans-synaptic cell-adhesion complex with postsynaptic neuroligins2. They are encoded by three genes (NRXN1, NRXN2 and NRXN3), each using an upstream promoter to produce the longer α-isoform (α-NRXNs) and a downstream promoter to generate a shorter β-isoform (β- NRXNs).
The α- and β-isoforms of each neurexin are single-pass transmembrane proteins maintaining identical transmembrane and intracellular domains but having distinct extracellular domains. NRXNs in neurons localize to the presynaptic membrane and bind trans-synaptically to postsynaptic adhesion molecules and receptors3. Neurexins are expressed in all neurons, and are subject to extensive alternative splicing, generating >1,000 splice variants, some of which exhibit highly regulated developmental and spatial expression patterns4.
The extracellular domain of neurexin 1α (NRXN1α) is composed of three neurexin repeats (I, II, and III), which each contains the modules LNS-EGF-LNS. NRXN1α binds endogenous ligands including neuroligins, LRRTM family members, neurexophilin, α-dystroglycan, and GABA(A) receptors.
NRXN1α gene mutations have been identified in neuropsychiatric diseases including Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorder5.
Application key:
Species reactivity key:
Anti-Neurexin 1α (extracellular) Antibody (#ANR-031) is a highly specific antibody directed against an epitope of the rat protein. The antibody can be used in western blot and live cell imaging applications. The antibody recognizes an extracellular epitope and is therefore, highly suited to recognize neurexin 1α in living cells. It has been designed to recognize Nrxn1α from rat, mouse and human samples.