Arc ubiquitination regulates endoplasmic reticulum-mediated Ca²⁺release and CaMKII signaling

Abstract

Synaptic plasticity relies on rapid, yet spatially precise signaling to alter synaptic strength. Arc is a brain enriched protein that is rapidly expressed during learning-related behaviors and is essential for regulating metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated long-term depression (mGluR-LTD). We previously showed that disrupting the ubiquitination capacity of Arc enhances mGluR-LTD; however, the mechanism by which this occurs and its consequences on other mGluR-mediated signaling events is unknown. Here we show that disrupting Arc ubiquitination on key amino acid residues leads to derangements in Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during pharmacological activation of Group I mGluRs. These alterations were observed in all neuronal subregions except secondary branchpoints. Deficits in Arc ubiquitination increased Arc self-association and enhanced its interaction with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIb (CaMKIIb) and constitutively active forms of CaMKII. Notably, these interactions were also excluded at secondary branchpoints. Finally, disruptions in Arc ubiquitination were found to increase Arc interaction with the integral ER protein Calnexin. These results suggest a previously unknown role for Arc ubiquitination in the fine tuning of ER-mediated Ca2+ signaling that is needed for mGluR-LTD, which, in turn, regulates CaMKII-dependent regulation of Arc.