SAP102 is a highly mobile MAGUK in spines.
Membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs), which are essential proteins in the postsynaptic density (PSD), cluster and anchor glutamate receptors and other proteins at synapses. The MAGUK family includes PSD-95, PSD-93, SAP102, and SAP97. Individual family members can compensate for one another in their ability to recruit and retain receptors at the postsynaptic membrane as shown through deletion and knock-down studies. SAP102 is highly expressed in both young and mature neurons; however, little is known about its localization and mobility at synapses. Here, we compared the distribution, mobility, and turnover times of SAP102 to the well studied MAGUK PSD-95. Using light and electron microscopy, we found that SAP102 shows a broader distribution as well as peak localization further away from the postsynaptic membrane than PSD-95. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), we found that 80% of SAP102 and 36% of PSD-95 are mobile in spines. Previous studies showed that PSD-95 was stabilized at the PSD by N-terminal palmitoylation. We found that stabilization of SAP102 at the PSD was dependent on its SH3/GK domains but not its PDZ interactions. Furthermore, we showed that stabilizing actin or blocking NMDA/AMPA receptors reduced the mobile pool of SAP102 but did not affect the mobile pool of PSD-95. Our results show significant differences in the localization, binding mechanism, and mobility of SAP102 and PSD-95. These differences and the compensatory properties of the MAGUKs point out an unrecognized versatility of the MAGUKs in their function in synaptic organization and plasticity.
Zheng
Chan-Ying
CY
Laboratories of Neurochemistry and Cell Structure and Dynamics, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. zhengchan@nidcd.nih.gov
Petralia
Ronald S
RS
Wang
Ya-Xian
YX
Kachar
Bechara
B
Wenthold
Robert J
RJ
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats
D000199:Actins; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; C101195:Dlg3 protein, rat; C501449:Dlg4 protein, rat; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides