First Author | Zhou Y | Year | 2007 |
Journal | J Neurosci | Volume | 27 |
Issue | 50 | Pages | 13843-53 |
PubMed ID | 18077696 | Mgi Jnum | J:130563 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3771913 | Doi | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4486-07.2007 |
Citation | Zhou Y, et al. (2007) Interactions between the NR2B receptor and CaMKII modulate synaptic plasticity and spatial learning. J Neurosci 27(50):13843-53 |
abstractText | The NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor interacts with several prominent proteins in the postsynaptic density, including calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). To determine the function of these interactions, we derived transgenic mice expressing a ligand-activated carboxy-terminal NR2B fragment (cNR2B) by fusing this fragment to a tamoxifen (TAM)-dependent mutant of the estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain LBD(G521R). Here, we show that induction by TAM allows the transgenic cNR2B fragment to bind to endogenous CaMKII in neurons. Activation of the LBD(G521R)-cNR2B transgenic protein in mice leads to the disruption of CaMKII/NR2B interactions at synapses. The disruption decreases Thr286 phosphorylation of alphaCaMKII, lowers phosphorylation of a key CaMKII substrate in the postsynaptic membrane (AMPA receptor subunit glutamate receptor 1), and produces deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation and spatial learning. Together our results demonstrate the importance of interactions between CaMKII and NR2B for CaMKII activity, synaptic plasticity, and learning. |