Post-translational regulation of an Aplysia glutamate transporter during long-term facilitation

J Neurochem. 2009 Jan;108(1):176-89. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05757.x. Epub 2008 Nov 22.

Abstract

Regulation of glutamate transporters accompanies plasticity of some glutamatergic synapses. The regulation of glutamate uptake at the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse during long-term facilitation (LTF) was investigated. Previously, increases in levels of ApGT1 (Aplysia glutamate transporter 1) in synaptic membranes were found to be related to long-term increases in glutamate uptake. In this study, we found that regulation of ApGT1 during LTF appears to occur post-translationally. Serotonin (5-HT) a transmitter that induces LTF did not increase synthesis of ApGT1. A pool of ApGT1 appears to exist in sensory neuron somata, which is transported to the terminals by axonal transport. Blocking the rough endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi-trans-Golgi network (TGN) pathway with Brefeldin A prevented the 5-HT-induced increase of ApGT1 in terminals. Also, 5-HT produced changes in post-translational modifications of ApGT1 as well as changes in the levels of an ApGT1-co-precipitating protein. These results suggest that regulation of trafficking of ApGT1 from the vesicular trafficking system (rough endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi-TGN) in the sensory neuron somata to the terminals by post-translational modifications and protein interactions appears to be the mechanism underlying the increase in ApGT1, and thus, glutamate uptake during memory formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aplysia
  • Brefeldin A / pharmacology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colchicine / pharmacology
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / genetics
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / metabolism*
  • Ganglia, Invertebrate / cytology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Glutamic Acid / metabolism
  • Long-Term Potentiation / drug effects
  • Long-Term Potentiation / physiology*
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / drug effects
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology*
  • Serotonin / pharmacology
  • Synaptosomes / drug effects
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Brefeldin A
  • Serotonin
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Colchicine