This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (12) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Tiedge, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Tiedge, H. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Translational Control at the Synapse

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn

Henri Tiedge

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurology, Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, tiedge{at}hscbklyn.edu

The strength of synaptic connections can undergo long-lasting changes, and such long-term plasticity is thought to underlie higher brain functions such as learning and memory. De novo synthesis of proteins is required for such plastic changes. This model is now supported by several lines of experimental data. Components of translational machinery have been identified in dendrites, including ribosomes, translational factors, numerous RNAs, and components of posttranslational secretory pathways. Various RNAs have been shown to be actively and rapidly transported to dendrites. Dendritic RNAs typically contain transport-specifying elements (dendritic targeting elements). Such dendritic targeting elements associate with transacting factors to form transport-competent ribonucleoprotein particles. It is assumed that molecular motors mediate transport of such particles along dendritic cytoskeletal elements. Once an mRNA has arrived at its dendritic destination site, appropriate spatiotemporal control of its translation, for example, in response to transsynaptic activity, becomes vital. Such local translational control, recent evidence indicates, is implemented at different levels and through various pathways. In the default state, translation is assumed to be repressed, and several mechanisms, some including small untranslated RNAs, have been proposed to contribute to such repression. Translational control at the synapse thus provides a molecular basis for the long-term, input-specific modulation of synaptic strength.

Key Words: Local translation • Long-term potentiation • RNA transport • Synaptic plasticity

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Mus, P. R. Hof, and H. Tiedge Dendritic BC200 RNA in aging and in Alzheimer's disease PNAS, June 19, 2007; 104(25): 10679 - 10684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Poon, S.-H. Choi, C. A. M. Jamieson, D. H. Geschwind, and K. C. Martin Identification of Process-Localized mRNAs from Cultured Rodent Hippocampal Neurons J. Neurosci., December 20, 2006; 26(51): 13390 - 13399. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A Vickers, K. S Dickson, and D. J A Wyllie Induction and maintenance of late-phase long-term potentiation in isolated dendrites of rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurones J. Physiol., November 1, 2005; 568(3): 803 - 813. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. R. Yang and L. Chen Targeting Prefrontal Cortical Dopamine D1 and N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Interactions in Schizophrenia Treatment Neuroscientist, October 1, 2005; 11(5): 452 - 470. [Abstract] [PDF]