Recombinant neuromuscular synapses.
The developing neuromuscular junction has provided an important paradigm for studying synapse formation. An outstanding feature of neuromuscular differentiation is the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at high density in the postsynaptic membrane. While AChR aggregation is generally believed to be induced by the nerve, the mechanisms underlying aggregation remain to be clarified. A 43-kD protein (43k) normally associated with the cytoplasmic aspect of AChR clusters has long been suspected of immobilizing AChRs by linking them to the cytoskeleton. In recent studies, the AChR clustering activity of 43k has, at last, been demonstrated by expressing recombinant AChR and 43k in non-muscle cells. Mutagenesis of 43k has revealed distinct domains within the primary structure which may be responsible for plasma membrane targeting and AChR binding. Other lines of study have provided clues as to how nerve-derived (extracellular) AChR-cluster inducing factors such as agrin might activate 43k-driven postsynaptic membrane specialization.
Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO 63110.
W D
WD
Phillips
J P
JP
Merlie
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011940:Receptor Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000502:physiology*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013049:Spectrin / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
D000199:Actins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C051609:peripheral membrane protein 43K; D013049:Spectrin