Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
W. Dylan Hale, Thomas C. Suedhof, Richard L. Huganir
Summary: In multicellular organisms, cell-adhesion molecules play a crucial role in connecting cells into tissues and mediating intercellular signaling. In vertebrate brains, synaptic cell-adhesion molecules (SAMs) guide the formation, specification, and plasticity of synapses. However, the identification of novel SAMs from bacterial proteins, Barnoligin and Starexin, has offered a new way to manipulate and study synaptic connections.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaoqiang Mo, Mengxue Liu, Jihong Gong, Ying Mei, Huidan Chen, Huajun Mo, Xiaofei Yang, Jun Li
Summary: Zinc is essential for normal brain development and physiology, and it regulates synapse formation and transmission. PTPRM gene is identified as a key gene involved in zinc-regulated synapse formation.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Bassem A. Hassan, P. Robin Hiesinger
Summary: A recent study on Drosophila revealed two different mechanisms of autophagy in regulating synapse formation in two different types of neurons during brain development. In photoreceptor neurons, autophagosome formation in synaptogenic filopodia destabilizes presumptive synaptic contacts to prevent incorrect synaptic partnerships. In dorsal cluster neurons, autophagy is suppressed to maintain stable synapses during axonal branching. These findings suggest that different neuron types may require either activation or suppression of synaptic autophagy to ensure proper synapse formation and brain connectivity during the same developmental period.
Review
Cell Biology
Marianna Decet, Patrik Verstreken
Summary: Autophagy is a crucial catabolic pathway for maintaining cellular homeostasis by degrading defective proteins and organelles. In neurons, the orchestrated progression of autophagy takes place in distinct subcellular compartments. Autophagy is essential for proper synaptic function and neuronal survival, particularly in the face of challenges like distance from the soma and oxidative stress.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Andres-Alonso, Michael R. Kreutz, Anna Karpova
Summary: The complex morphology and functional demands of neurons pose a challenge for proteostasis, particularly at presynaptic sites. Efficient mechanisms are required to ensure protein turnover between the cell body and synapses and to maintain synaptic function.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Tina Ghelani, Carolina Montenegro-Venegas, Anna Fejtova, Thomas Dresbach
Summary: Bassoon acts as a core scaffold protein in the presynaptic active zone, with its N-terminus oriented towards the trans-Golgi network membrane and its C-terminus facing away from the trans-Golgi network. This topographic arrangement at the Golgi-apparatus is essential for the assembly of active zone precursor structures and provides insights into the biogenesis of active zones.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Clemens L. Schoepf, Cornelia Ablinger, Stefanie M. Geisler, Ruslan Stanika, Marta Campiglio, Walter A. Kaufmann, Benedikt Nimmervoll, Bettina Schlick, Johannes Brockhaus, Markus Missler, Ryuichi Shigemoto, Gerald J. Obermair
Summary: The alpha(2)delta subunits in nerve cells play a critical role in the formation and organization of glutamatergic synapses, with defects leading to synaptic dysfunction and potentially neurological diseases. Each individual alpha(2)delta isoform can rescue presynaptic calcium channel trafficking and expression of synaptic proteins, suggesting a highly redundant role as synaptic organizers. These findings suggest a shift in understanding of excitatory synapse formation, highlighting the importance of presynaptic differentiation and the potential of alpha(2)delta subunits as nucleation points for synaptic organization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Filiz Sila Rizalar, Dorien A. Roosen, Volker Haucke
Summary: The authors reviewed the current understanding of the mechanisms governing the generation, transport, and assembly of key components for presynaptic neurotransmission, discussing how alterations in presynaptic assembly could impact nervous system function or lead to disease, and outlining key questions for future research.
Article
Neurosciences
Charlotte F. Brzozowski, Baraa A. Hijaz, Vijay Singh, Nolwazi Z. Gcwensa, Kaela Kelly, Edward S. Boyden, Andrew B. West, Deblina Sarkar, Laura A. Volpicelli-Daley
Summary: The study reveals that LRRK2 kinase activity influences the presynaptic targeting of alpha-synuclein, suggesting potential mechanisms by which perturbations in alpha-synuclein localization mediated by LRRK2 could lead to pathology in both LRRK2-PD and idiopathic PD.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Anna Bodzeta, Nicky Scheefhals, Harold D. MacGillavry
Summary: The various functions of glutamate in the brain are mediated by ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, which modulate synaptic transmission and plasticity. mGluRs play roles at both presynaptic and postsynaptic sites, acting as essential signal integrators that couple mechanisms of transmission and plasticity.
Article
Cell Biology
Beyenech Binotti, Momchil Ninov, Andreia P. Cepeda, Marcelo Ganzella, Ulf Matti, Dietmar Riedel, Henning Urlaub, Sivakumar Sambandan, Reinhard Jahn
Summary: The study shows that ATG9-containing vesicles are enriched in synapses and resemble synaptic vesicles in size and density. These vesicles represent a distinct population with limited overlap with synaptic vesicles and other membranes of the secretory pathway, revealing surprising heterogeneity in their membrane composition. ATG9-containing vesicles may function as lipid shuttles that scavenge membrane lipids from various intracellular membranes to support autophagosome biogenesis.
Article
Neurosciences
Zhe Feng, Xiandeng Wu, Mingjie Zhang
Summary: Neuronal synapses consist of three compartments: presynaptic axon terminal, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic dendrite, each densely packed with molecular machineries involved in synaptic transmission. Recent studies suggest that the assembly of these compartments is driven by liquid-liquid phase separation, forming membraneless substructures or assemblies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pei-Yi Lin, Lulu Y. Chen, Peng Zhou, Sung-Jin Lee, Justin H. Trotter, Thomas C. Suedhof
Summary: Recent research has shown that the deletion of Nrxn2 unexpectedly leads to an increase in excitatory synapse numbers and their presynaptic release probability, suggesting a role of Nrxn2 in restricting synapse assembly. Cultured hippocampal neurons have been used to study the synaptic function and mechanism of Nrxn2, revealing that certain splice variants of Nrxn2 restrict synapse numbers and restrain their release probability. These findings are significant for understanding the mechanism of synapse assembly.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Helene Vitet, Julie Bruyere, Hao Xu, Claire Seris, Jacques Brocard, Yah-Se Abada, Benoit Delatour, Chiara Scaramuzzino, Laurent Venance, Frederic Saudou
Summary: Neurotransmitters are released at synapses by synaptic vesicles (SVs), and the axonal transport of SV precursors (SVPs) has been thought to have no effect on synaptic function. However, phosphorylation of the Huntingtin protein (HTT) has been found to increase axonal transport of SVPs, leading to increased synaptic glutamate release and affecting synaptic plasticity and motor skill learning.
Article
Neurosciences
Jiaqi Keith Luo, Holly Melland, Jess Nithianantharajah, Sarah L. Gordon
Summary: Nlgn1 plays a crucial role in coordinating pre- and postsynaptic alignment at excitatory synapses, impacting postsynaptic transmission and plasticity. Loss of Nlgn1 does not affect vesicle release or exocytosis, but significantly impacts synaptic vesicle retrieval through compensatory endocytosis during activity. This suggests that synaptic adhesion molecules like Nlgn1 are important for regulating activity-induced endocytosis at the presynapse.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Ishwar Gill, Sammy Droubi, Silvia Giovedi, Karlie N. Fedder, Luke A. D. Bury, Federica Bosco, Michael P. Sceniak, Fabio Benfenati, Shasta L. Sabo
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2015)
Article
Neurosciences
Michael P. Sceniak, Shasta L. Sabo
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2010)
Article
Developmental Biology
Luke A. D. Bury, Shasta L. Sabo
NEURAL DEVELOPMENT
(2011)
Article
Developmental Biology
Michael P. Sceniak, Corbett T. Berry, Shasta L. Sabo
NEURAL DEVELOPMENT
(2012)
Article
Developmental Biology
Luke A. D. Bury, Shasta L. Sabo
NEURAL DEVELOPMENT
(2014)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Corbett T. Berry, Michael P. Sceniak, Louie Zhou, Shasta L. Sabo
Article
Cell Biology
Michael P. Sceniak, Karlie N. Fedder, Qian Wang, Sammy Droubi, Katie Babcock, Sagar Patwardhan, Jazmin Wright-Zornes, Lucynda Pham, Shasta L. Sabo
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Teresa A. Evans, Luke A. Bury, Alex Y. Huang, Shasta L. Sabo
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Edwina R. Allen, Samantha L. Lempke, Michaela M. Miller, Delaney M. Bush, Brandyn G. Braswell, Casey L. Estes, Everett L. Benedict, Andrew R. Mahon, Shasta L. Sabo, Mallary C. Greenlee-Wacker
JOURNAL OF LEUKOCYTE BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Michael P. Sceniak, Jake B. Spitsbergen, Shasta L. Sabo, Yukun Yuan, William D. Atchison
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Jacob A. Bahry, Karlie N. Fedder-Semmes, Michael P. Sceniak, Shasta L. Sabo
Summary: Mutations in the GRIN2B gene lead to autism spectrum disorders, with a GluN2B variant affecting dendrite morphogenesis by shifting branch growth towards retraction. Mutant neurons exhibit increased pruning of dendritic branches despite forming new branches at similar rates to wild-type neurons. This results in a nearly complete elimination of the net expansion of arbor size and complexity during developmental periods.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Correction
Neurosciences
Jacob A. Bahry, Karlie N. Fedder-Semmes, Michael P. Sceniak, Shasta L. Sabo
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Shasta L. Sabo, Jessica M. Lahr, Madelyn Offer, Anika L. A. Weekes, Michael P. Sceniak
Summary: GRIN2B-related neurodevelopmental disorder is a rare disease caused by mutations in the GRIN2B gene. It leads to intellectual disability, developmental delay, motor impairments, autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy. Recent research has focused on understanding the pathophysiology of the disease and identifying effective therapeutic strategies.
FRONTIERS IN SYNAPTIC NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karlie N. Fedder, Shasta L. Sabo