Rab3A is essential for mossy fibre long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.
Repetitive activation of excitatory synapses in the central nervous system results in a long-lasting increase in synaptic transmission called long-term potentiation (LTP). It is generally believed that this synaptic plasticity may underlie certain forms of learning and memory. LTP at most synapses involves the activation of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) subtype of glutamate receptor, but LTP at hippocampal mossy fibre synapses is independent of NMDA receptors and has a component that is induced and expressed presynaptically. It appears to be triggered by a rise in presynaptic Ca2+, and requires the activation of protein kinase A, which leads to an increased release of glutamate. A great deal is known about the biochemical steps involved in the vesicular release of transmitter, but none of these steps has been directly implicated in long-term synaptic plasticity. Here we show that, although a variety of short-term plasticities are normal, LTP at mossy fibre synapses is abolished in mice lacking the synaptic vesicle protein Rab3A.
Castillo
P E
PE
Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
Janz
R
R
Südhof
T C
TC
Tzounopoulos
T
T
Malenka
R C
RC
Nicoll
R A
RA
D000818:Animals; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins