Cloning and sequence of full-length cDNAs encoding the human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits beta3 and beta4 and expression of seven nAChR subunits in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and/or IMR-32.

Using PCR-based techniques, we have isolated and sequenced the full-length cDNAs that encode the human neuronal nAChR subunits alpha3,4,5,7 and beta2,3,4 in the neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y and/or IMR-32. The predicted nAChR beta3- and beta4-subunit proteins contain 458 and 498 amino acids, respectively. Except for the beta2, all the other cloned cDNAs showed differences with the published sequences. Northern blots show expression of the nAChR subunits alpha3,7 and beta2,4 in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y, with intensity of the hybridisation signal decreasing in the order alpha3 > beta4 > beta2 > alpha7.