Fassberg Seminar Series: Unravelling the organisation of postsynaptic complexity

Fassberg Seminar Series

  • Datum: 08.08.2017
  • Uhrzeit: 11:00 - 12:00
  • Vortragende(r): Prof. Dr. Seth Grant
  • Edinburgh University
  • Ort: Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie (MPIBPC)
  • Raum: Large Seminar Room
  • Gastgeber: Stefan W. Hell
  • Kontakt: hell-office@mpibpc.mpg.de
Fassberg Seminar Series: Unravelling the organisation of postsynaptic complexity
Synapses have been traditionally thought of as relatively simple connectors between nerve cells and that computational properties of the brain are the properties of circuits and systems. In these models it has been generally assumed that synaptic transmission and plasticity can be achieved with relatively few postsynaptic proteins. However, it has become apparent that the proteome of the postsynaptic terminal of excitatory synapses has a remarkably high molecular complexity with ~1000 highly conserved proteins in all vertebrate species. These proteins include neurotransmitter receptors, adhesion, scaffolding, signaling and structural proteins that are physically organized into complexes and supercomplexes.

Our goal has been to characterize the structure and function of the postsynaptic complexity using a variety of technical approaches, principally involving mouse genetics and proteomic approaches. I will introduce the complexity of the postsynaptic proteome, its evolution, supramolecular organisation and role in disease. I will review the results of a large-scale genetic screen of the role of postsynaptic proteins in a behavioral repertoire and synaptic physiology. Then I will present new studies using mice carrying genetically tagged postsynaptic proteins visualized with confocal and super-resolution microscopy. These “synaptome mapping” data reveal that postsynaptic complexes are building blocks of synapse diversity and brain architecture and it is reprogrammed in genetic brain disorders disorders.
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