Biological functions of activity-dependent transcription revealed.
Neuronal activity regulates the transcription of a large set of genes, many of which encode proteins that modify synaptic function. In this issue of Neuron, Hong et al. selectively impair activity-dependent Bdnf transcription and demonstrate that this process is required for inhibitory synapse development.
West
Anne E
AE
Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. west@neuro.duke.edu
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor