Isolation and characterization of two homologous cDNA clones from Torpedo electromotor neurons.

Two homologous cDNA clones were isolated from a Torpedo california electric lobe lambda gt11 expression library using a polyclonal antiserum directed against proteins associated with synaptic vesicles. Northern blotting reveals an 8- to 9-kb transcript in the electric lobe and the spinal cord, but not in the brain or other non-neuronal tissues. Antibodies generated against a fusion protein synthesized in Escherichia coli reacted with a 85- to 90-kD species in the neurons of the electric lobe. The immunoreactivity is associated with microsomal membranes and can be extracted readily with high salt. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated a sparse punctate staining pattern in the cell body which colocalized with a subpopulation of post-Golgi vesicles.