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Cryo-electron tomography of glutamatergic synapses


EMSL Project ID
51799

Abstract

Ionotropic glutamate-receptor ion channels (iGluRs) are the major mediators of excitatory synaptic transmission that couple glutamate release to depolarization of postsynaptic neurons in the central nervous system. Among the cation permeable iGluRs, AMPA cooperates with NMDA and a group of intracellular scaffold proteins and transmembrane auxiliary subunits at the postsynaptic nerve terminal to facilitate excitatory nerve transmission. Abnormalities in the expression or dysfunction of AMPA and NMDA leads to severe neurological disorders and, hence, necessitates a deeper understanding of their role in synaptic nerve transmission in order to develop novel and potent therapeutics. In this study, we aim towards obtaining structural information of AMPA and NMDA in their native state at the postsynaptic membrane using pinched-off nerve terminals or synaptosomes. Determination of the three-dimensional ultrastructure of synaptosomes will help to gain insight into the organizational principles of iGluRs (AMPA and NMDA) underlying efficient synaptic functions.

Project Details

Start Date
2021-01-15
End Date
2021-03-17
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Eric Gouaux
Institution
Oregon Health & Science University

Team Members

Prerana Gogoi
Institution
Oregon Health & Science University

Heidi Owen
Institution
Oregon Health & Science University