Searching across hundreds of databases
The presynaptic active zone mediates synaptic vesicle exocytosis, and modulation of its molecular composition is important for many types of synaptic plasticity. Here, we identify synaptic scaffold protein liprin-α2 as a key organizer in this process. We show that liprin-α2 levels were regulated by synaptic activity and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Furthermore, liprin-α2 organized presynaptic ultrastructure and controlled synaptic output by regulating synaptic vesicle pool size. The presence of liprin-α2 at presynaptic sites did not depend on other active zone scaffolding proteins but was critical for recruitment of several components of the release machinery, including RIM1 and CASK. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching showed that depletion of liprin-α2 resulted in reduced turnover of RIM1 and CASK at presynaptic terminals, suggesting that liprin-α2 promotes dynamic scaffolding for molecular complexes that facilitate synaptic vesicle release. Therefore, liprin-α2 plays an important role in maintaining active zone dynamics to modulate synaptic efficacy in response to changes in network activity.
Pubmed ID: 23751498 RIS Download
Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.
The HFSP supports novel, innovative and interdisciplinary basic research focused on the complex mechanisms of living organisms; topics range from molecular and cellular approaches to systems and cognitive neuroscience. A clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to focus on problems at the frontier of the life sciences. The Trust provides funding for research regarding complex biological systems. It offers research grants, post doc fellowships, career development fellowships, and short- long- and cross- disciplinary fellowships. HFSP funding programs are strictly project-related and begin at the postdoctoral level. We have no support for PhD students nor for travel grants to scientific meetings. Nor do we provide sponsorship or funds to organizers of scientific meetings. Research Grants Research Grants are awarded for novel collaborations involving extensive collaboration among teams of scientists working in different countries and in different disciplines. Two types of grants are available: Young Investigators Grants and Program Grants. Postdoctoral Fellowships Postdoctoral Fellowships are available for scientists who wish to work in foreign laboratories, with emphasis on individuals early in their careers who wish to obtain training in a different field of research. Fellows who return to their home countries or move to an HFSP member country that is different from the Fellowship host country are eligible to apply for a Career Development Award. Long-Term Fellowships are for scientists with a Ph.D. degree in the life sciences who wish to broaden their experience through postdoctoral training abroad. Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree in the physical sciences, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and computer sciences who wish to receive training in biology. Career Development Awards Career Development Awards are for former HFSP Long-Term or Cross-Disciplinary Fellows who return to their home country or move to an HFSP member country that is different from the host country of their HFSP Fellowship. The award provides support for initiating the fellows'' first independent laboratory.
View all literature mentionsNEURON is a simulation environment for modeling individual neurons and networks of neurons. It provides tools for conveniently building, managing, and using models in a way that is numerically sound and computationally efficient. It is particularly well-suited to problems that are closely linked to experimental data, especially those that involve cells with complex anatomical and biophysical properties. NEURON has benefited from judicious revision and selective enhancement, guided by feedback from the growing number of neuroscientists who have used it to incorporate empirically-based modeling into their research strategies. NEURON's computational engine employs special algorithms that achieve high efficiency by exploiting the structure of the equations that describe neuronal properties. It has functions that are tailored for conveniently controlling simulations, and presenting the results of real neurophysiological problems graphically in ways that are quickly and intuitively grasped. Instead of forcing users to reformulate their conceptual models to fit the requirements of a general purpose simulator, NEURON is designed to let them deal directly with familiar neuroscience concepts. Consequently, users can think in terms of the biophysical properties of membrane and cytoplasm, the branched architecture of neurons, and the effects of synaptic communication between cells. * helps users focus on important biological issues rather than purely computational concerns * has a convenient user interface * has a user-extendable library of biophysical mechanisms * has many enhancements for efficient network modeling * offers customizable initialization and simulation flow control * is widely used in neuroscience research by experimentalists and theoreticians * is well-documented and actively supported * is free, open source, and runs on (almost) everything
View all literature mentionsSoftware tool for automated microscope acquisition, device control, and image analysis. Used for integrating dissimilar fluorescent microscope hardware and peripherals into a single custom workstation, while providing all the tools needed to perform analysis of acquired images. Offers user friendly application modules for analysis such as cell signaling, cell counting, and protein expression.
View all literature mentionsSoftware tool that detects peaks of any type, any shape, any direction, and any size for neuroscientists who are studying spontaneous activities. Allows detection of virtually any kind of peaks including spontaneous miniature synaptic currents and potentials, action potential spikes, calcium imaging peaks, amperometric peaks, ECG peaks etc. It includes the complex and multiple peak detection algorithm. Has post-detection analyses including essential plots and statistical parameters. Group Analysis provides specialized and detailed analysis options for action potentials, decay fitting, fEPSP/population spikes, amperometry, etc.
View all literature mentionsLaser capture microdissection system that includes infrared lasers. It can be used for laser capture microdissection LCM, ultraviolet UV laser cutting, sanger sequencing, next generation sequencing, and quantitative PCR.
View all literature mentionsCell line HEK293 is a Transformed cell line with a species of origin Homo sapiens (Human)
View all literature mentionsThe SciCrunch Infrastructure was developed as a cooperative data platform to be used by diverse communities in making data more FAIR.
scicrunch.org
