Resistance To Inhibitors Of Cholinesterase 3 Homolog (RIC3)

RIC3 is a protein associated with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), neurotransmitter-gated ion channels expressed at the neuromuscular junction and within the central and peripheral nervous systems, that can enhance functional expression of multiple nAChR subtypes.

The protein contains 2 N-terminal transmembrane domains separated by a proline-rich region; these are followed by a central coiled-coil domain and a long C-terminal domain. Northern blot analysis detected a 2.9-kb transcript in the excitable tissues muscle, brain, and heart, and additional transcripts in nonexcitable tissues. EST and mRNA database analysis revealed several splice variants, one of which encodes a truncated protein containing only the 2 transmembrane domains.