First Author | Bamji SX | Year | 2003 |
Journal | Neuron | Volume | 40 |
Issue | 4 | Pages | 719-31 |
PubMed ID | 14622577 | Mgi Jnum | J:86623 |
Mgi Id | MGI:2680876 | Doi | 10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00718-9 |
Citation | Bamji SX, et al. (2003) Role of beta-catenin in synaptic vesicle localization and presynaptic assembly. Neuron 40(4):719-31 |
abstractText | Cadherins and catenins are thought to promote adhesion between pre and postsynaptic elements in the brain. Here we show a role for beta-catenin in localizing the reserved pool of vesicles at presynaptic sites. Deletion of beta-catenin in hippocampal pyramidal neurons in vivo resulted in a reduction in the number of reserved pool vesicles per synapse and an impaired response to prolonged repetitive stimulation. This corresponded to a dispersion of vesicles along the axon in cultured neurons. Interestingly, these effects are not due to beta-catenin's involvement in cadherin-mediated adhesion or wnt signaling. Instead, beta-catenin modulates vesicle localization via its PDZ binding domain to recruit PDZ proteins such as Veli to cadherin at synapses. This study defines a specific role for cadherins and catenins in synapse organization beyond their roles in mediating cell adhesion. |