Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
09:07
Genetic Manipulation of Cerebellar Granule Neurons In Vitro and In Vivo to Study Neuronal Morphology and Migration
Published on: March 17, 2014
14.3K
Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of liprinα1 mediates neuronal activity-dependent synapse development
Huiqian Huang1,2,3, Xiaochen Lin1,2,3, Zhuoyi Liang1,2,3
1Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
Summary
Neuronal activity regulates synapse development by controlling liprinα1 phosphorylation. Inhibiting this phosphorylation enhances synapse maturation and strength, revealing a key mechanism in postsynaptic organization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Synaptic Plasticity
Background:
- Synaptic connections undergo dynamic, activity-dependent changes crucial for brain circuitry.
- Postsynaptic maturation involves alterations in dendritic spine morphology, protein targeting, and receptor insertion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of liprinα1 and its phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in activity-dependent excitatory synapse maturation.
- To elucidate how neuronal activity modulates postsynaptic organization through liprinα1.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nanoscale superresolution imaging to examine protein colocalization.
- Employed a small interfering peptide (siLIP) to disrupt liprinα1 phosphorylation in vivo.
- Assessed changes in synaptic structure, function, and strength.
Main Results:
- Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of liprinα1 at Thr701 is critical for excitatory synapse maturation.
- Neuronal activity decreases liprinα1 phosphorylation.
- Blocking liprinα1 phosphorylation enhances synapse maturation, PSD-95 synaptic localization, and synaptic strength.
Conclusions:
- Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of liprinα1 acts as a key regulator of postsynaptic organization during synapse development.
- Modulating liprinα1 phosphorylation offers a potential therapeutic target for enhancing synaptic function.
Keywords:
PSD-95cyclin-dependent kinase 5neurodevelopmental disordersneuronal activitysynaptic plasticityMore Related Videos
10:03Isolation of CA1 Nuclear Enriched Fractions from Hippocampal Slices to Study Activity-dependent Nuclear Import of Synapto-nuclear Messenger Proteins
Published on: August 10, 2014
12.6K
08:30Detection of Phospholipase C Activity in the Brain Homogenate from the Honeybee
Published on: September 14, 2018
8.2K
Related Concept Videos
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
3.8K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
3.8K
01:16Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
6.7K
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
6.7K
00:50Anaphase Promoting Complex
3.5K
The stepwise destruction of specific proteins is necessary for the progression and completion of the cell cycle. Such proteins are ubiquitinated by ubiquitin ligases and then subsequently destroyed by the proteasome. The SCF (Skp1/Cullin/F-box) and the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) are two important ubiquitin ligases involved in cell cycle progression. While SCF is active throughout the cell cycle, APC gets activated during metaphase to anaphase transition. Cdc20 or Cdh1 binds to APC and...
3.5K
02:34Inhibition of Cdk Activity
6.1K
The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
6.1K
01:23Catenins
3.2K
Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the...
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the...
3.2K
01:22Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
18.7K
When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
18.7K