Linked Life Data

7675108

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/7675108

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6546
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-10-17
pubmed:abstractText
Of numerous synaptic components that have been identified, perhaps the best-studied are the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. AChRs are diffusely distributed on embryonic myotubes, but become highly concentrated (approximately 10,000 microns-2) in the postsynaptic membrane as development proceeds. At least two distinct processes contribute to this accumulation. One is local synthesis: subsynaptic muscle nuclei transcribe AChR subunit genes at higher rates than extra-synaptic nuclei, so AChR messenger RNA is concentrated near synaptic sites. Second, once AChRs have been inserted in the membrane, they form high-density clusters by tethering to a subsynaptic cytoskeletal complex. A key component of this complex is rapsyn, a peripheral membrane protein of relative molecular mass 43K (refs 4, 5), which is precisely colocalized with AChRs at synaptic sites from the earliest stages of neuromuscular synaptogenesis. In heterologous systems, expression of recombinant rapsyn leads to clustering of diffusely distributed AChRs, suggesting that rapsyn may control formation of clusters. To assess the role of rapsyn in vivo, we generated and characterized mutant mice with a targeted disruption of the Rapsyn gene. We report that rapsyn is essential for the formation of AChR clusters, but that synapse-specific transcription of AChR subunit genes can proceed in its absence.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
21
pubmed:volume
377
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
232-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Failure of postsynaptic specialization to develop at neuromuscular junctions of rapsyn-deficient mice.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Molecular Biology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't