No abstract

The postsynaptic density contains multiple protein complexes that together relay the presynaptic neurotransmitter input to the activation of the postsynaptic neuron. In the present study we took two independent proteome approaches for the characterization of the protein complement of the postsynaptic density, namely 1) two-dimensional gel electrophoresis separation of proteins in conjunction with mass spectrometry to identify the tryptic peptides of the protein spots and 2) isolation of the trypsin-digested sample that was labeled with isotope-coded affinity tag, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the partial separation and identification of the peptides, respectively. Functional grouping of the identified proteins indicates that the postsynaptic density is a structurally and functionally complex organelle that may be involved in a broad range of synaptic activities. These proteins include the receptors and ion channels for glutamate neurotransmission, proteins for maintenance and modulation of synaptic architecture, sorting and trafficking of membrane proteins, generation of anaerobic energy, scaffolding and signaling, local protein synthesis, and correct protein folding and breakdown of synaptic proteins. Together, these results imply that the postsynaptic density may have the ability to function (semi-) autonomously and may direct various cellular functions in order to integrate synaptic physiology.The majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the brain occurs via glutamatergic synapses. In the presynaptic element of the synapse, specialized secretion machinery determines the activity-dependent membrane fusion of glutamate-containing vesicles and the release of transmitter into the synaptic cleft. In the postsynaptic element, glutamate receptors and downstream signal transduction are organized by the protein assembly of the postsynaptic density (PSD). 1 Both the presynaptic release machinery and the PSD are electron-dense assemblies (1, 2), in which proteins are thought to be organized into distinct functional complexes (3-5) that may be dynamically regulated by neuronal activity (6 -8). The modulation of this molecular architecture of the synapse is at the basis of synaptic plasticity (6 -8), and aberrations thereof may underlie neuronal disorders.In view of the importance of the PSD in glutamatergic neurotransmission and its involvement in neuroplasticity, considerable efforts have been made to identify its protein constituents as a prelude to understand the molecular basis of PSD functioning. In the past several years, yeast two-hybrid technology has been extensively used to characterize proteins that interact with the glutamate receptors and may constitute core elements of the PSD involved in the regulation of receptor trafficking and signaling (reviewed in Refs. 9 -11). Based largely on these studies a protein-protein interaction map of the PSD has emerged. In brief, the model posits that the postsynaptic receptor complexes are localized by scaffolding proteins such as the s...

In addicts, associative memories related to the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse can evoke powerful craving and drug seeking urges, but effective treatment to suppress these memories is not available. Detailed insight into the neural circuitry that mediates expression of drug-associated memory is therefore of crucial importance. Substantial evidence from rodent models of addictive behavior points to the involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in conditioned drug seeking, but specific knowledge of the temporal role of vmPFC pyramidal cells is lacking. To this end, we used an optogenetics approach to probe the involvement of vmPFC pyramidal cells in expression of a recent and remote conditioned cocaine memory. In mice, we expressed Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or Halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0) in pyramidal cells of the vmPFC and studied the effect of activation or inhibition of these cells during expression of a cocaine-contextual memory on days 1-2 (recent) and ϳ3 weeks (remote) after conditioning. Whereas optical activation of pyramidal cells facilitated extinction of remote memory, without affecting recent memory, inhibition of pyramidal cells acutely impaired recall of recent cocaine memory, without affecting recall of remote memory. In addition, we found that silencing pyramidal cells blocked extinction learning at the remote memory time-point. We provide causal evidence of a critical time-dependent switch in the contribution of vmPFC pyramidal cells to recall and extinction of cocaine-associated memory, indicating that the circuitry that controls expression of cocaine memories reorganizes over time.

Local protein synthesis plays an essential role in the regulation of various aspects of axonal and dendritic function in adult neurons. At present, however, there is no direct evidence that local protein translation is functionally contributing to neuronal outgrowth. Here, we identified the mRNA encoding the actin-binding protein ␤-thymosin as one of the most abundant transcripts in neurites of outgrowing neurons in culture. ␤-Thymosin mRNA is not evenly distributed in neurites, but appears to accumulate at distinct sites such as turning points and growth cones. Using double-stranded RNA knockdown, we show that reducing ␤-thymosin mRNA levels results in a significant increase in neurite outgrowth, both in neurites of intact cells and in isolated neurites. Together, our data demonstrate that local synthesis of ␤-thymosin is functionally involved in regulating neuronal outgrowth.