SUPRAMOLECULAR ARCHITECTURE OF THE POSTSYNAPTIC DENSITY

描述(摘自申请者摘要)：兴奋性神经传递 主要由离子型谷氨酸受体介导。这些 受体通过细胞质蛋白锚定在突触后膜上 集中在突触后密度(PSD)。PSD蛋白可能有助于塑造 突触后对谷氨酸的反应，但即使在 这些分子可能产生的生化和电生理效应 它们在体内的作用将取决于它们在体内的表现 在突触处进行物理安排和组织。现代生化技术 允许构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的拓扑图 在PSD的大分子复合体中，但没有提供直接信息 关于这个复合体的元素的定位，“超分子” 目前的研究将利用新的工具 用于蛋白质超微结构定位的超分子研究 PSD的结构，作为阐明结构和 兴奋性突触的功能。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): Excitatory neurotransmission in the brain is mediated mainly via ionotropic glutamate receptors. These receptors are anchored at the postsynaptic membrane by cytoplasmic proteins concentrated in the postsynaptic density (PSD). PSD proteins may help to shape the postsynaptic response to glutamate, but even after the full range of possible biochemical and electrophysiological effects of these molecules has been documented in vitro, their actions in vivo will depend on how they are physically arranged and organized at the synapse. Modern biochemical techniques permit construction of a topological diagram of protein-protein interactions within the macromolecular complex of the PSD, but provide no direct information on the positioning of the elements of this complex, the "supramolecular architecture" of these molecules. The present research will harness new tools for ultrastructural localization of proteins to investigate the supramolecular architecture of the PSD, as a step toward elucidation of the structure and function of the excitatory synapse.