Ppp1r9a, Strn, Kcna4, Kif1a, and Slc1a2. Slc1a2, which encodes for the excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) and is the principal transporter within the brain for glutamate, is of interest given the focus on excitatory neurotransmission above and evidence that inhibition of EAAT2 reduces ethanol consumption (Sari et al., 2016). Other members of this group appear to have some role(s) in regulating glutamatergic receptor function. For example, the deletion of Chrna7 leads to the loss of NMDA receptors (Lin et al., 2014). Interestingly, the deletion of Chrna7 is also associated with increased sensitivity to several ethanol-induced behaviors (Bowers et al., 2005). Als2 encodes for alsin which has been shown to protect neurons from glutamate-associated neurotoxicity (Lai et al., 2006; Kwak and Weiss, 2006; Cai et al., 2008). Strn which encodes for striatin, is highly enriched in dendritic spines; this localization is reduced by NMDA receptor stimulation which appears to have a key role in synaptic plasticity (see Chen et al., 2012 and references therein). Kcna4 which encodes potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily A member four, is recruited to the synapse by PSD95, where it is phosphorylated (Wong and Schlichter, 2004). Kif1a encodes a kinsin family three member which is also known
