Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
2031537 Trends in Biochemical Sciences 2006 8 Pages PDF
Abstract

Chemical synapses are asymmetric cell junctions that mediate communication between neurons. Multidomain scaffolding proteins of the Shank family act as major organizing elements of the ‘postsynaptic density’ – that is, the cytoskeletal protein matrix associated with the postsynaptic membrane. A recent study has shown that the C-terminal sterile α-motif or ‘SAM domain’ of Shank3 (also known as ProSAP2) can form two-dimensional sheets of helical fibers. Assembly and packaging of these fibers are markedly enhanced by the presence of Zn2+ ions. Zn2+ can be released together with glutamate from synaptic vesicles and can enter the postsynaptic cell through specific ionotropic receptors. Based on these observations, we propose a new model of synaptic plasticity in which Zn2+ influx directly and instantly modulates the structure and function of the postsynaptic density.

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