Gabrg2 - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor, subunit gamma 2

This gene encodes a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor subunit, which is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel family. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult central nervous system, and conversely exhibits an excitatory function during development. GABA-A receptors are pentameric, consisting of proteins from several subunit classes: alpha, beta, gamma, delta and rho. This gene encodes one of three gamma subunits in mammals, which contain the binding site for benzodiazepine drugs. Several mutations in this gene are associated with epileptic seizures, and genetic knockdown is associated with anxiety behavior. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2013]