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Induction of synapse formation by de novo neurotransmitter synthesis

Author

Listed:
  • Scott R. Burlingham

    (Colorado State University)

  • Nicole F. Wong

    (State University of New York at Buffalo)

  • Lindsay Peterkin

    (Colorado State University)

  • Lily Lubow

    (Colorado State University)

  • Carolina Dos Santos Passos

    (Colorado State University)

  • Orion Benner

    (Colorado State University)

  • Michael Ghebrial

    (California State University Fullerton)

  • Thomas P. Cast

    (Colorado State University)

  • Matthew A. Xu-Friedman

    (State University of New York at Buffalo)

  • Thomas C. Südhof

    (Stanford University School of Medicine)

  • Soham Chanda

    (Colorado State University
    Stanford University School of Medicine
    Colorado State University)

Abstract

A vital question in neuroscience is how neurons align their postsynaptic structures with presynaptic release sites. Although synaptic adhesion proteins are known to contribute in this process, the role of neurotransmitters remains unclear. Here we inquire whether de novo biosynthesis and vesicular release of a noncanonical transmitter can facilitate the assembly of its corresponding postsynapses. We demonstrate that, in both stem cell-derived human neurons as well as in vivo mouse neurons of purely glutamatergic identity, ectopic expression of GABA-synthesis enzymes and vesicular transporters is sufficient to both produce GABA from ambient glutamate and transmit it from presynaptic terminals. This enables efficient accumulation and consistent activation of postsynaptic GABAA receptors, and generates fully functional GABAergic synapses that operate in parallel but independently of their glutamatergic counterparts. These findings suggest that presynaptic release of a neurotransmitter itself can signal the organization of relevant postsynaptic apparatus, which could be directly modified to reprogram the synapse identity of neurons.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott R. Burlingham & Nicole F. Wong & Lindsay Peterkin & Lily Lubow & Carolina Dos Santos Passos & Orion Benner & Michael Ghebrial & Thomas P. Cast & Matthew A. Xu-Friedman & Thomas C. Südhof & Soham, 2022. "Induction of synapse formation by de novo neurotransmitter synthesis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30756-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30756-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Florian Engert & Tobias Bonhoeffer, 1999. "Dendritic spine changes associated with hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity," Nature, Nature, vol. 399(6731), pages 66-70, May.
    3. Hui-quan Li & Nicholas C. Spitzer, 2020. "Exercise enhances motor skill learning by neurotransmitter switching in the adult midbrain," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. N. Toni & P.-A. Buchs & I. Nikonenko & C. R. Bron & D. Muller, 1999. "LTP promotes formation of multiple spine synapses between a single axon terminal and a dendrite," Nature, Nature, vol. 402(6760), pages 421-425, November.
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