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Dendrites

Stepping stones to synapse formation

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 4, page 432 (2003)Cite this article

The authors determined that GIT1 localizes to synapses through a synaptic localization domain (SLD), overexpression of which led to a decrease in spine and synapse number and an increase in the number of long, thin dendritic protrusions (which lacked synapses).

GIT1 can also bind the guanine exchange factor (GEF) PIX. Using a mutant in which the PIX-binding domain had been deleted, the authors found a decrease in spine and synapse formation, a phenotype similar to that seen in neurons overexpressing the SLD. To determine whether GIT1 was responsible for targeting PIX to the synapse, they overexpressed a PIX mutant deficient in GIT1 binding in neurons. The results showed a similar phenotype to that of the PIX-binding mutant — the number of dendritic protrusions (with no associated synapses) increased, and the density of spines and synapses decreased.

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References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Zhang, H. et al. Synapse formation is regulated by the signaling adapter GIT1. J. Cell Biol. 161, 131–142 (2003)

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FURTHER READING

  1. Nakayama, A. Y. et al. Small GTPases Rac and Rho in the maintenance of dendritic spines and branches in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. J. Neurosci. 20, 5329–5338 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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Authors
  1. Emma Green
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Green, E. Stepping stones to synapse formation. Nat Rev Neurosci 4, 432 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1143

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1143

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