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Neurexin controls plasticity of a mature, sexually dimorphic neuron

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  • Michael P. Hart

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University)

  • Oliver Hobert

    (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University)

Abstract

During development and adulthood, brain plasticity is evident at several levels, from synaptic structure and function to the outgrowth of dendrites and axons. Whether and how sex impinges on neuronal plasticity is poorly understood. Here we show that the sex-shared GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-releasing DVB neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans displays experience-dependent and sexually dimorphic morphological plasticity, characterized by the stochastic and dynamic addition of multiple neurites in adult males. These added neurites enable synaptic rewiring of the DVB neuron and instruct a functional switch of the neuron that directly modifies a step of male mating behaviour. Both DVB neuron function and male mating behaviour can be altered by experience and by manipulation of postsynaptic activity. The outgrowth of DVB neurites is promoted by presynaptic neurexin and antagonized by postsynaptic neuroligin, revealing a non-conventional activity and mode of interaction of these conserved, human-disease-relevant factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael P. Hart & Oliver Hobert, 2018. "Neurexin controls plasticity of a mature, sexually dimorphic neuron," Nature, Nature, vol. 553(7687), pages 165-170, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:553:y:2018:i:7687:d:10.1038_nature25192
    DOI: 10.1038/nature25192
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    Cited by:

    1. Kiya W. Govek & Patrick Nicodemus & Yuxuan Lin & Jake Crawford & Artur B. Saturnino & Hannah Cui & Kristi Zoga & Michael P. Hart & Pablo G. Camara, 2023. "CAJAL enables analysis and integration of single-cell morphological data using metric geometry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.

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