Gephyrin is an essential component of the postsynaptic cortical protein network of inhibitory synapses. Gephyrin-based scaffolds participate in the assembly as well as the dynamics of receptor clusters by connecting the cytoplasmic domains of glycine and GABA(A) receptor polypeptides to two cytoskeletal systems, microtubules and microfilaments. Although there is evidence for a physical linkage between gephyrin and microtubules, the interaction between gephyrin and microfilaments is not well understood so far. Here, we show that neuronal gephyrin interacts directly with key regulators of microfilament dynamics, profilin I and neuronal profilin IIa, and with microfilament adaptors of the mammalian enabled (Mena)/vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) family, including neuronal Mena. Profilin and Mena/VASP coprecipitate with gephyrin from tissue and cells, and complex formation requires the E-domain of gephyrin, not the proline-rich central domain. Consequently, gephyrin is not a ligand for the proline-binding motif of profilins, as suspected previously. Instead, it competes with G-actin and phospholipids for the same binding site on profilin. Gephyrin, profilin, and Mena/VASP colocalize at synapses of rat spinal cord and cultivated neurons and in gephyrin clusters expressed in transfected cells. Thus, Mena/VASP and profilin can contribute to the postulated linkage between receptors, gephyrin scaffolds, and the microfilament system and may regulate the microfilament-dependent receptor packing density and dynamics at inhibitory synapses.

No abstract

IRSp53 is an essential intermediate between the activation of Rac and Cdc42GTPases and the formation of cellular protrusions; it affects cell shape by coupling membrane-deforming activity with the actin cytoskeleton. IRSp53 is highly expressed in neurons where it is also an abundant component of the postsynaptic density (PSD). Here we analyze the physiological function of this protein in the mouse brain by generating IRSp53-deficient mice. Neurons in the hippocampus of young and adult knock-out (KO) mice do not exhibit morphological abnormalities in vivo. Conversely, primary cultured neurons derived from IRSp53 KO mice display retarded dendritic development in vitro. On a molecular level, Eps8 cooperates with IRSp53 to enhance actin bundling and interacts with IRSp53 in developing neurons. However, postsynaptic Shank proteins which are expressed at high levels in mature neurons compete with Eps8 to block actin bundling. In electrophysiological experiments the removal of IRSp53 increases synaptic plasticity as measured by augmented long term potentiation and pairedpulse facilitation. A primarily postsynaptic role of IRSp53 is underscored by the decreased size of the PSDs, which display increased levels of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits in IRSp53 KO animals. Our data suggest that the incorporation of IRSp53 into the PSD enables the protein to limit the number of postsynaptic glutamate receptors and thereby affect synaptic plasticity rather than dendritic morphology. Consistent with altered synaptic plasticity, IRSp53-deficient mice exhibit cognitive deficits in the contextual fear-conditioning paradigm.Rho GTPases such as Cdc42, Rac, and Rho control key events in neuronal cell biology, including the generation of neuronal polarity and morphology, establishment of dendritic spines, the generation of postsynaptic specializations and synaptic plasticity (1, 2). Specificity in these processes is thought to arise through control of different downstream targets which are recognized and activated by the active, GTP-bound forms of Rho family members. The insulin receptor substrate of 53 kDa (IRSp53) 3 is an essential mediator between activated Rac or Cdc42 and the formation of lamellipodia or filopodia, respectively. GTPase binding to IRSp53 enables interactions of its SH3 domain with downstream effectors WAVE2, Mena, Eps8, or N-WASP, all of which are known regulators of actin dynamics (3-6). In addition, the N-terminal IRSp53/missing in metastasis homology domain of IRSp53 assists in generating cellular protrusions by bundling actin filaments (5, 7, 8) and promoting membrane curvature (9, 10). Expression of IRSp53 is particularly high in the brain, and consequently IRSp53 contributes to the formation of dendritic spines in the cultured hippocampal neuron model (11).Via the SH3 domain and a C-terminal PDZ binding motif, IRSp53 also bridges postsynaptic shank and PSD-95 family members (11)(12)(13)(14). A significant enrichment in the postsynaptic density (PSD) of excitatory synapses suggests that Rac/Cdc42 signalin...