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Related Concept Videos

Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

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Synaptic Signaling01:09

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Preparation of Synaptic Plasma Membrane and Postsynaptic Density Proteins Using a Discontinuous Sucrose Gradient
08:06

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Published on: September 3, 2014

RNA binding proteins accumulate at the postsynaptic density with synaptic activity.

Guoan Zhang1, Thomas A Neubert, Bryen A Jordan

  • 1Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute and Department of Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, 10016, USA.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|January 13, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Synaptic activity alters postsynaptic density (PSD) composition, increasing RNA binding proteins (RNABPs). Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) M and G regulate dendritic spine density, impacting neuronal plasticity.

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08:30

Preparation of Synaptoneurosomes from Mouse Cortex using a Discontinuous Percoll-Sucrose Density Gradient

Published on: September 17, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Neuronal activity drives experience-dependent plasticity through changes in synaptic composition.
  • Postsynaptic densities (PSDs) are crucial for synaptic function and plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify activity-dependent modifications in PSD composition using stable isotope labeling.
  • To investigate the role of identified proteins, particularly RNA binding proteins (RNABPs), in synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) for quantitative proteomic analysis of isolated rat primary neuronal PSDs.
  • Employed short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) for knockdown of specific heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) and assessed effects on dendritic spine density.
  • Measured poly(A) mRNA levels in dendrites and synapses following synaptic activity and hnRNP knockdown.

Main Results:

  • Synaptic activity altered approximately 2% of the PSD proteome, with a notable increase in diverse RNABPs, including hnRNPs G, A2/B1, M, and D.
  • Knockdown of hnRNPs M and G led to significant alterations in dendritic spine numbers, indicating their role in spine density regulation.
  • Synaptic activity increased dendritic and synaptic poly(A) mRNA levels, but this increase was independent of hnRNPs M and G levels.

Conclusions:

  • hnRNP proteins are key regulators of dendritic spine density, contributing to synaptic plasticity.
  • hnRNPs may play a role in synaptodendritic mRNA metabolism, although their direct involvement in activity-induced mRNA changes requires further investigation.