神经元基因弧编码一个调节细胞间RNA转移的重置转移蛋白
Elissa D Pastuzyn1, Cameron E Day1, Rachel B Kearns1
1Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Cell
|January 13, 2018
概括
神经元基因弧形蛋白形成类似病毒的体,在神经元之间转移其RNA,这表明它在细胞间通信中的作用. 这种蛋白质是从古老的复原元素进化出来的,
科学领域:
- 神经科学
- 分子生物学
- 进化生物学
背景情况:
- 神经元基因弧对记忆和突触可塑性至关重要,但它的分子功能和进化历史尚不清楚.
- 在神经发育障碍中发挥的作用凸显了理解其基本生物机制的必要性.
研究的目的:
- 阐明神经元基因弧的分子功能和进化起源.
- 研究Arc蛋白如何在神经元内和神经元之间调解其作用.
主要方法:
- 研究Arc蛋白自组成像病毒的囊包装RNA.
- 通过细胞外囊泡从神经元中释放Arc的研究.
- 研究了接受神经元中的Arc mRNA的吸收和功能.
- 进行了对Arc起源的进化分析.
主要成果:
- 它会自组合成含有RNA的病毒状体.
- 神经元在细胞外囊中释放Arc蛋白,将Arc mRNA转移到其他细胞.
- 纯化的 Arc 体被神经元内化,提供 Arc mRNA 进行翻译.
- 它与逆转录病毒的Gag蛋白具有相同的分子特性.
- 从脊椎动物 Ty3/gypsy 逆转移体,逆转移体的祖先进化而来.
结论:
- 通过将其mRNA转移到神经元之间,作为神经系统中细胞间通信的媒介.
- 这些发现揭示了古老的回复元件 (Gag回复元件) 对于神经元通信的重用功能.
- 这项研究揭示了神经元可塑性和记忆力的关键基因Arc的分子机制和进化路径.
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