Input-specific spine entry of soma-derived Vesl-1S protein conforms to synaptic tagging.
Late-phase synaptic plasticity depends on the synthesis of new proteins that must function only in the activated synapses. The synaptic tag hypothesis requires input-specific functioning of these proteins after undirected transport. Confirmation of this hypothesis requires specification of a biochemical tagging activity and an example protein that behaves as the hypothesis predicts. We found that in rat neurons, soma-derived Vesl-1S (Homer-1a) protein, a late-phase plasticity-related synaptic protein, prevailed in every dendrite and did not enter spines. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor activation triggered input-specific spine entry of Vesl-1S proteins, which met many criteria for synaptic tagging. These results suggest that Vesl-1S supports the hypothesis and that the activity-dependent regulation of spine entry functions as a synaptic tag.
Okada
Daisuke
D
Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences (MITILS), 11 Minamiooya, Machida, Tokyo 194-8511, Japan. dada@mitils.jp
Ozawa
Fumiko
F
Inokuchi
Kaoru
K
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000072233:Homer Scaffolding Proteins; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D010957:Plasmids; D021381:Protein Transport; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014162:Transfection
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000072233:Homer Scaffolding Proteins; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D002118:Calcium