Ultrastructural basis for gene expression at the synapse: synapse-associated polyribosome complexes

Abstract

This review summarizes what is known about the protein synthetic machinery that is selectively localized beneath postsynaptic sites on the dendrites of CNS neurons. This machinery, made up of polyribosomes and associated membranous cisterns, allows a local synthesis of key proteins at individual postsynaptic sites.

Dynamic Expression Pattern of Neuro-oncological Ventral Antigen 1 (Nova1) in the Rat Brain after Focal Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Insults

“…Nova1 might play a role in the regulation of mRNAs within dendrites and may be able to act to coordinate nuclear RNA processing with local mRNA expression. There is now considerable evidence that some mRNAs enable the local synthesis of the encoded proteins (Steward et al 1996;Steward 1997). Many of the mRNAs that are present in dendrites have been identified.…”

β-Adrenergic Receptor Activation Facilitates Induction of a Protein Synthesis-Dependent Late Phase of Long-Term Potentiation

“…Indeed, polyribosome complexes located in dendrites (Steward and Levy, 1982;Steward, 1983) mediate local protein synthesis in hippocampal dendrites (Steward et al, 1996). Although many of the mRNAs translated in dendrites remain uncharacterized, those that have been identified exhibit a broad range of functions, suggesting that local dendritic translation can regulate many aspects of synaptic physiology and plasticity (Steward, 1997;Bagni et al, 2000).…”

Multiplexed RNA trafficking in oligodendrocytes and neurons

“…Since each granule contains multiple different A2RE RNAs one might expect that all the RNAs in the granule are translated simultaneously. However, careful serial section electron microscopic studies reveal that sites of myelin synthesis in oligodendrocytes and dendritic spines in neurons generally contain only one or at most a few polyribosomes [37,38]. Since each polyribosome represents a single translationally active RNA molecule this indicates that A2RE RNAs in granules are translated one at a time.…”