RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 SynCAM, a Synaptic Adhesion Molecule That Drives Synapse Assembly
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 1525
OP 1531
DO 10.1126/science.1072356
VO 297
IS 5586
A1 Biederer, Thomas
A1 Sara, Yildirim
A1 Mozhayeva, Marina
A1 Atasoy, Deniz
A1 Liu, Xinran
A1 Kavalali, Ege T.
A1 Südhof, Thomas C.
YR 2002
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/297/5586/1525.abstract
AB Synapses, the junctions between nerve cells through which they communicate, are formed by the coordinated assembly and tight attachment of pre- and postsynaptic specializations. We now show that SynCAM is a brain-specific, immunoglobulin domain–containing protein that binds to intracellular PDZ-domain proteins and functions as a homophilic cell adhesion molecule at the synapse. Expression of the isolated cytoplasmic tail of SynCAM in neurons inhibited synapse assembly. Conversely, expression of full-length SynCAM in nonneuronal cells induced synapse formation by cocultured hippocampal neurons with normal release properties. Glutamatergic synaptic transmission was reconstituted in these nonneuronal cells by coexpressing glutamate receptors with SynCAM, which suggests that a single type of adhesion molecule and glutamate receptor are sufficient for a functional postsynaptic response.