CHRNB3

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are members of a superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels that mediate fast signal transmission at synapses. The nAChRs are (hetero)pentamers composed of homologous subunits. The subunits that make up the muscle and neuronal forms of nAChRs are encoded by separate genes and have different primary structure. There are several subtypes of neuronal nAChRs that vary based on which homologous subunits are arranged around the central channel. They are classified as alpha-subunits if, like muscle alpha-1 (MIM 100690), they have a pair of adjacent cysteines as part of the presumed acetylcholine binding site. Subunits lacking these cysteine residues are classified as beta-subunits (Groot Kormelink and Luyten, 1997

Full Name

Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Beta 3 Subunit

Function

After binding acetylcholine, the AChR responds by an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane.

Biological Process

Chemical synaptic transmission Source: GO_Central
Ion transmembrane transport Source: GO_Central
Nervous system process Source: GO_Central
Regulation of membrane potential Source: GO_Central
Response to nicotine Source: GO_Central
Signal transduction Source: GO_Central
Synaptic transmission, cholinergic Source: GO_Central

Cellular Location

Postsynaptic cell membrane; Cell membrane

Topology

Extracellular: 25-232
Helical: 233-257
Helical: 265-282
Helical: 299-320
Cytoplasmic: 321-428
Helical: 429-447