Activity-dependent validation of excitatory versus inhibitory synapses by neuroligin-1 versus neuroligin-2
2007 | journal article; research paper. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
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Activity-dependent validation of excitatory versus inhibitory synapses by neuroligin-1 versus neuroligin-2
Chubykin, A. A.; Atasoy, D.; Etherton, M. R.; Brose, N. ; Kavalali, E. T.; Gibson, J. R. & Suedhof, T. C. (2007)
Neuron, 54(6) pp. 919-931. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2007.05.029
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- Authors
- Chubykin, Alexander A.; Atasoy, Deniz; Etherton, Mark R.; Brose, Nils ; Kavalali, Ege T.; Gibson, Jay R.; Suedhof, Thomas C.
- Abstract
- Neuroligins enhance synapse formation in vitro, but surprisingly are not required for the generation of synapses in vivo. We now show that in cultured neurons, neuroligin-1 overexpression increases excitatory, but not inhibitory, synaptic responses, and potentiates synaptic NMDAR/AMPAR ratios. In contrast, neuroligin-2 overexpression increases inhibitory, but not excitatory, synaptic responses. Accordingly, deletion of neuroligin-1 in knockout mice selectively decreases the NMDAR/AMPAR ratio, whereas deletion of neuroligin-2 selectively decreases inhibitory synaptic responses. Strikingly, chronic inhibition of NMDARs or CaM-Kinase 11, which signals downstream of NMDARs, suppresses the synapse-boosting activity of neuroligin-1, whereas chronic inhibition of general synaptic activity suppresses the synapse-boosting activity of neuroligin-2. Taken together, these data indicate that neuroligins do not establish, but specify and validate, synapses via an activity-dependent mechanism, with different neuroligins acting on distinct types of synapses. This hypothesis reconciles the overexpression and knockout phenotypes and suggests that neuroligins contribute to the use-dependent formation of neural circuits.
- Issue Date
- 2007
- Publisher
- Cell Press
- Journal
- Neuron
- ISSN
- 0896-6273