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Koopmans F. GOAT: efficient and robust identification of gene set enrichment. Commun Biol 2024; 7:744. [PMID: 38898151 PMCID: PMC11187187 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06454-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene set enrichment analysis is foundational to the interpretation of high throughput biology. Identifying enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms or disease-associated gene sets within a list of gene effect sizes that represent experimental outcomes is an everyday task in life science that crucially depends on robust and sensitive statistical tools. We here present GOAT, a parameter-free algorithm for gene set enrichment analysis of preranked gene lists. The algorithm can precompute null distributions from standardized gene scores, enabling enrichment testing of the GO database in one second. Validations using synthetic data show that estimated gene set p-values are well calibrated under the null hypothesis and invariant to gene list length and gene set size. Application to various real-world proteomics and gene expression studies demonstrates that GOAT identifies more significant GO terms as compared to current methods. GOAT is freely available as an R package and user-friendly online tool for gene set enrichment analyses that includes interactive data visualizations: https://ftwkoopmans.github.io/goat .
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Koopmans
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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2
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Kelly D, Schratt G. Screening and Characterization of Functional circRNAs in Neuronal Cultures. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2765:311-324. [PMID: 38381347 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3678-7_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
This chapter describes a methodology for the screening and characterization of functional circRNAs, particularly in the context of neural circuit development. Taking advantage of a primary rat neuron culture model of synaptogenesis, we propose a means of selecting from the plethora of circRNA species based on their expression levels, dendritic localization, conservation, and activity regulation. These candidates are then knocked down with RNAi approaches in a functional screen for their potential role in the formation and maturation of excitatory synapses.Upon identification of top candidates regulating synaptogenesis, we tie together different "Omics" approaches to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypes observed upon circRNA knockdown. We utilized our EnrichMir algorithm to identify overrepresented miRNA binding sites in differentially expressed genes from polyA-RNA-seq following circRNA knockdown. Furthermore, our ScanMiR web tool allows for the miRNA binding prediction of reconstructed internal circular RNA sequences. Small-RNA sequencing is used to monitor changes in miRNA levels in the circRNA knockdown to complement results obtained from EnrichMiR. Finally, the experimental validation of promising miRNA-circRNA pairs sets the stage for in-depth biochemical exploration of the circRNA interactome and mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Kelly
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zurich, Switzerland.
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3
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Pulcrano S, De Gregorio R, De Sanctis C, Volpicelli F, Piscitelli RM, Speranza L, Perrone-Capano C, di Porzio U, Caiazzo M, Martini A, Giacomet C, Medina D, Awatramani R, Viggiano D, Federici M, Mercuri NB, Guatteo E, Bellenchi GC. miR-218 Promotes Dopaminergic Differentiation and Controls Neuron Excitability and Neurotransmitter Release through the Regulation of a Synaptic-Related Genes Network. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8104-8125. [PMID: 37816598 PMCID: PMC10697421 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0431-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the brain, microRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to play a role in orchestrating synaptic plasticity at a higher level by acting as an additional mechanism of translational regulation, alongside the mRNA/polysome system. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the specific contribution of individual miRNA to the function of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) remains limited. By performing a dopaminergic-specific miRNA screening, we have identified miR-218 as a critical regulator of DAn activity in male and female mice. We have found that miR-218 is specifically expressed in mesencephalic DAn and is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation of embryonic stem cells and functional maturation of transdifferentiated induced DA neurons. Midbrain-specific deletion of both genes encoding for miR-218 (referred to as miR-218-1 and mir218-2) affects the expression of a cluster of synaptic-related mRNAs and alters the intrinsic excitability of DAn, as it increases instantaneous frequencies of evoked action potentials, reduces rheobase current, affects the ionic current underlying the action potential after hyperpolarization phase, and reduces dopamine efflux in response to a single electrical stimulus. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the involvement of miR-218 in the dopaminergic system and highlight its role as a modulator of dopaminergic transmission.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the past decade, several miRNAs have emerged as potential regulators of synapse activity through the modulation of specific gene expression. Among these, we have identified a dopaminergic-specific miRNA, miR-218, which is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation and regulates the translation of an entire cluster of synapse related mRNAs. Deletion of miR-218 has notable effects on dopamine release and alters the intrinsic excitability of dopaminergic neurons, indicating a direct control of dopaminergic activity by miR-218.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Pulcrano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Roberto De Gregorio
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian, New York, New York 10021
| | - Claudia De Sanctis
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Neuropathology Brain Bank at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Piscitelli
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Luisa Speranza
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York 10461
| | - Carla Perrone-Capano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Umberto di Porzio
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Caiazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Martini
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Cecilia Giacomet
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Diego Medina
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, 80078, Italy
- Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | | | - Davide Viggiano
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli," Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Mauro Federici
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
| | - Nicola B Mercuri
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
- University of Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine, Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Ezia Guatteo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
- Department of Motor Science and Wellness, Parthenope University, Naples, 80133, Italy
| | - Gian Carlo Bellenchi
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, 80131, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, 00143, Italy
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4
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Zhang X, Eladawi MA, Ryan WG, Fan X, Prevoznik S, Devale T, Ramnani B, Malathi K, Sibille E, Mccullumsmith R, Tomoda T, Shukla R. Ribosomal dysregulation: A conserved pathophysiological mechanism in human depression and mouse chronic stress. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad299. [PMID: 37822767 PMCID: PMC10563789 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to the heterogeneity of major depressive disorder (MDD) presentation remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for a conceptual framework that can explain this variability and bridge the gap between animal models and clinical endpoints. Here, we hypothesize that comparative analysis of molecular data from different experimental systems of chronic stress, and MDD has the potential to provide insight into these mechanisms and address this gap. Thus, we compared transcriptomic profiles of brain tissue from postmortem MDD subjects and from mice exposed to chronic variable stress (CVS) to identify orthologous genes. Ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) were down-regulated, and associated ribosomal protein (RP) pseudogenes were up-regulated in both conditions. A seeded gene co-expression analysis using altered RPGs common between the MDD and CVS groups revealed that down-regulated RPGs homeostatically regulated the synaptic changes in both groups through a RP-pseudogene-driven mechanism. In vitro analysis demonstrated that the RPG dysregulation was a glucocorticoid-driven endocrine response to stress. In silico analysis further demonstrated that the dysregulation was reversed during remission from MDD and selectively responded to ketamine but not to imipramine. This study provides the first evidence that ribosomal dysregulation during stress is a conserved phenotype in human MDD and chronic stress-exposed mouse. Our results establish a foundation for the hypothesis that stress-induced alterations in RPGs and, consequently, ribosomes contribute to the synaptic dysregulation underlying MDD and chronic stress-related mood disorders. We discuss the role of ribosomal heterogeneity in the variable presentations of depression and other mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Centre, Shreveport, LA 71105, USA
| | - Mahmoud Ali Eladawi
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - William George Ryan
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Xiaoming Fan
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Stephen Prevoznik
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Trupti Devale
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Barkha Ramnani
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Krishnamurthy Malathi
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Robert Mccullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Toshifumi Tomoda
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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5
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Inouye MO, Colameo D, Ammann I, Winterer J, Schratt G. miR-329- and miR-495-mediated Prr7 down-regulation is required for homeostatic synaptic depression in rat hippocampal neurons. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/12/e202201520. [PMID: 36150742 PMCID: PMC9510147 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In rat hippocampal neurons, miRNA-dependent regulation of the synaptic Prr7 protein is required for the homeostatic synaptic depression of excitatory synapses upstream of the CDK5-SPAR pathway. Homeostatic synaptic depression (HSD) in excitatory neurons is a cell-autonomous mechanism which protects excitatory neurons from over-excitation as a consequence of chronic increases in network activity. In this process, excitatory synapses are weakened and eventually eliminated, as evidenced by a reduction in synaptic AMPA receptor expression and dendritic spine loss. Originally considered a global, cell-wide mechanism, local forms of regulation, such as the local control of mRNA translation in dendrites, are being increasingly recognized in HSD. Yet, identification of excitatory proteins whose local regulation is required for HSD is still limited. Here, we show that proline-rich protein 7/transmembrane adapter protein 3 (Prr7) down-regulation in dendrites of rat hippocampal neurons is necessary for HSD induced by chronic increase in network activity resulting from a blockade of inhibitory synaptic transmission by picrotoxin (PTX). We further identify two activity-regulated miRNAs, miR-329-3p and miR-495-3p, which inhibit Prr7 mRNA translation and are required for HSD. Moreover, we found that Prr7 knockdown reduces expression of the synaptic scaffolding protein SPAR, which is rescued by pharmacological inhibition of CDK5, indicating a role of Prr7 protein in the maintenance of excitatory synapses via protection of SPAR from degradation. Together, our findings highlight a novel HSD mechanism in which chronic activity leads to miR-329– and miR-495–mediated Prr7 reduction upstream of the CDK5-SPAR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiko O Inouye
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David Colameo
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Irina Ammann
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Winterer
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
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6
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Colameo D, Schratt G. Synaptic tagging: homeostatic plasticity goes Hebbian. EMBO J 2022; 41:e112383. [PMID: 36097740 PMCID: PMC9574739 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinct plasticity mechanisms enable neurons to effectively process information also when facing global perturbations in network activity. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Dubes et al (2022) provide a molecular mechanism whereby individual synapses during periods of chronic inactivity are "tagged" for future strengthening. These results lend further support to the idea that local, nonmultiplicative mechanisms play an important role in homeostatic synaptic plasticity as has been demonstrated for Hebbian-like synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Colameo
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and TechnologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology ETHZürichSwitzerland
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and TechnologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology ETHZürichSwitzerland
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7
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Schell G, Roy B, Prall K, Dwivedi Y. miR-218: A Stress-Responsive Epigenetic Modifier. Noncoding RNA 2022; 8:ncrna8040055. [PMID: 35893238 PMCID: PMC9326663 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna8040055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the epigenetic role of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been a critical development in the field of neuropsychiatry and in understanding their underlying pathophysiology. Abnormalities in miRNA expression are often seen as key to the pathogenesis of many stress-associated mental disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent advances in omics biology have further contributed to this understanding and expanded the role of miRNAs in networking a diverse array of molecular pathways, which are essentially related to the stress adaptivity of a healthy brain. Studies have highlighted the role of many such miRNAs in causing maladaptive changes in the brain's stress axis. One such miRNA is miR-218, which is debated as a critical candidate for increased stress susceptibility. miR-218 is expressed throughout the brain, notably in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). It is expressed at various levels through life stages, as seen by adolescent and adult animal models. Until now, a minimal number of studies have been conducted on human subjects to understand its role in stress-related abnormalities in brain circuits. However, several studies, including animal and cell-culture models, have been used to understand the impact of miR-218 on stress response and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. So far, expression changes in this miRNA have been found to regulate signaling pathways such as glucocorticoid signaling, serotonergic signaling, and glutamatergic signaling. Recently, the developmental role of miR-218 has generated interest, given its increasing expression from adolescence to adulthood and targeting the Netrin-1/DCC signaling pathway. Since miR-218 expression affects neuronal development and plasticity, it is expected that a change in miR-218 expression levels over the course of development may negatively impact the process and make individuals stress-susceptible in adulthood. In this review, we describe the role of miR-218 in stress-induced neuropsychiatric conditions with an emphasis on stress-related disorders.
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8
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Soutschek M, Germade T, Germain PL, Schratt G. enrichMiR predicts functionally relevant microRNAs based on target collections. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:W280-W289. [PMID: 35609985 PMCID: PMC9252831 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are among the main post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. A number of data collections and prediction tools have gathered putative or confirmed targets of these regulators. It is often useful, for discovery and validation, to harness such collections to perform target enrichment analysis in given transcriptional signatures or gene-sets in order to predict involved miRNAs. While several methods have been proposed to this end, a flexible and user-friendly interface for such analyses using various approaches and collections is lacking. enrichMiR (https://ethz-ins.org/enrichMiR/) addresses this gap by enabling users to perform a series of enrichment tests, based on several target collections, to rank miRNAs according to their likely involvement in the control of a given transcriptional signature or gene-set. enrichMiR results can furthermore be visualised through interactive and publication-ready plots. To guide the choice of the appropriate analysis method, we benchmarked various tests across a panel of experiments involving the perturbation of known miRNAs. Finally, we showcase enrichMiR functionalities in a pair of use cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Soutschek
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, D-HEST Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tomás Germade
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, D-HEST Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, D-HEST Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.,Lab of Statistical Bioinformatics, DMLS, University of Zürich, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, D-HEST Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Carvalho AL, Fernandes D. It takes two to tango: Concerted protein translation and degradation necessary for synaptic scaling. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001448. [PMID: 34818347 PMCID: PMC8612543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This Primer explores the implications of a new study in PLOS Biology which reveals how homeostatic synaptic plasticity requires coordinated and inter-dependent protein synthesis and degradation, as well as remodeling of the miRNA-induced silencing complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Luisa Carvalho
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Dominique Fernandes
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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