title: Induction of GABAergic postsynaptic differentiation by alpha-neurexins.
abstract: Beta-neurexin and neuroligin cell adhesion molecules contribute to synapse development in the brain. The longer alpha-neurexins function at both glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synapses in coupling to presynaptic calcium channels. Binding of alpha-neurexins to neuroligins was recently reported, but the role of the alpha-neurexins in synapse development has not been well studied. Here we report that in COS cell neuron coculture assays, all three alpha-neurexins induce clustering of the GABAergic postsynaptic scaffolding protein gephyrin and neuroligin 2 but not of the glutamatergic postsynaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95 or neuroligin 1/3/4. alpha-Neurexins also induce clustering of the GABA(A) receptor gamma2 subunit. This synapse promoting activity of alpha-neurexins is mediated by the sixth LNS (laminin neurexin sex hormone-binding protein) domain and negatively modulated by upstream sequences. Although inserts at splice site 4 (S4) in beta-neurexins promote greater clustering activity for GABA than glutamate proteins in coculture assay, alpha-neurexin-specific sequences confer complete specificity for GABA proteins. We further report a developmental increase in the ratio of -S4 to +S4 forms of neurexins correlating with an increase in glutamate relative to GABA synaptogenesis and activity regulation of splicing at S4. Thus, +S4 beta-neurexins and, even more selectively, alpha-neurexins may be mediators of GABAergic synaptic protein recruitment and stabilization.
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 2B5, Canada.
authors.forename: Yunhee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: XueZhao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dobie
authors.forename: Huaiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Craig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017354:Point Mutation; D022821:RNA Splice Sites / Q000235:genetics; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; C501449:Dlg4 protein, rat; D006023:Glycoproteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D022821:RNA Splice Sites; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C073441:gephyrin; C112162:neurexophilin; C098003:neuroligin 2; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid