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MAGUKs: multifaceted synaptic organizers.

Sehoon Won1, Jon M Levy2, Roger A Nicoll3

  • 1Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|February 26, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The PSD-95 protein family, or MAGUKs, are crucial scaffolding proteins in the postsynaptic density. This review highlights their conserved and unique roles in synaptic function and plasticity.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a critical structure at excitatory synapses.
  • PSD-95 family proteins, also known as membrane-associated guanylate kinase homologs (MAGUKs), are key components of the PSD.
  • These scaffolding proteins link cell surface receptors to intracellular signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the conserved and unique roles of the four PSD-95 family members (PSD-95, PSD-93, SAP102, and SAP97).
  • To highlight their specific binding partners and functions in synaptic plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on PSD-95 family proteins.
  • Analysis of conserved and distinct molecular interactions.
  • Examination of roles in synaptic function and plasticity.

Main Results:

  • PSD-95 family proteins share fundamental roles in synaptic organization.
  • Specific members exhibit unique binding partners and functions.
  • These proteins are integral to regulating synaptic plasticity.

Conclusions:

  • The PSD-95 family plays multifaceted roles in synaptic structure and function.
  • Understanding their specific interactions is key to deciphering synaptic plasticity mechanisms.
  • Further research into unique MAGUK functions will advance neuroscience.