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Conserved and divergent processing of neuroligin and neurexin genes: from the nematode C. elegans to human

Conserved and divergent processing of neuroligin and neurexin genes: from the nematode C. elegans to human
Conserved and divergent processing of neuroligin and neurexin genes: from the nematode C. elegans to human
Neuroligins are cell-adhesion proteins that interact with neurexins at the synapse. This interaction may contribute to differentiation, plasticity and specificity of synapses. In humans, single mutations in neuroligin-encoding genes are implicated in autism spectrum disorder and/or mental retardation. Moreover, some copy number variations and point mutations in neurexin-encoding genes have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. Neurexins are subject to extensive alternative splicing, highly regulated in mammals, with a great physiological importance. In addition, neuroligins and neurexins are subjected to proteolytic processes that regulate synaptic transmission modifying pre- and postsynaptic activities and may also regulate the remodelling of spines at specific synapses. Four neuroligin genes exist in mice and five in human, whilst in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, there is only one orthologous gene. In a similar manner, in mammals, there are three neurexin genes, each of them encoding two major isoforms named ? and ?, respectively. In contrast, there is one neurexin gene in C. elegans that also generates two isoforms like mammals. The complexity of the genetic organization of neurexins is due to extensive processing resulting in hundreds of isoforms. In this review, a wide comparison is made between the genes in the nematode and human with a view to better understanding the conservation of processing in these synaptic proteins in C. elegans, which may serve as a genetic model to decipher the synaptopathies underpinning neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism
1354-2516
79-90
Calahorro Nunez, Fernando
dddfa373-d3cc-433f-8851-9ca37f2f3950
Calahorro Nunez, Fernando
dddfa373-d3cc-433f-8851-9ca37f2f3950

Calahorro Nunez, Fernando (2014) Conserved and divergent processing of neuroligin and neurexin genes: from the nematode C. elegans to human. Invertebrate Neuroscience, 14 (2), 79-90. (doi:10.1007/s10158-014-0173-5).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Neuroligins are cell-adhesion proteins that interact with neurexins at the synapse. This interaction may contribute to differentiation, plasticity and specificity of synapses. In humans, single mutations in neuroligin-encoding genes are implicated in autism spectrum disorder and/or mental retardation. Moreover, some copy number variations and point mutations in neurexin-encoding genes have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. Neurexins are subject to extensive alternative splicing, highly regulated in mammals, with a great physiological importance. In addition, neuroligins and neurexins are subjected to proteolytic processes that regulate synaptic transmission modifying pre- and postsynaptic activities and may also regulate the remodelling of spines at specific synapses. Four neuroligin genes exist in mice and five in human, whilst in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, there is only one orthologous gene. In a similar manner, in mammals, there are three neurexin genes, each of them encoding two major isoforms named ? and ?, respectively. In contrast, there is one neurexin gene in C. elegans that also generates two isoforms like mammals. The complexity of the genetic organization of neurexins is due to extensive processing resulting in hundreds of isoforms. In this review, a wide comparison is made between the genes in the nematode and human with a view to better understanding the conservation of processing in these synaptic proteins in C. elegans, which may serve as a genetic model to decipher the synaptopathies underpinning neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 11 August 2014
Published date: September 2014
Organisations: Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 378812
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/378812
ISSN: 1354-2516
PURE UUID: e0f5cec5-357e-4ae7-a4a8-37115a5078b3
ORCID for Fernando Calahorro Nunez: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0659-7728

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Date deposited: 16 Jul 2015 10:42
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:46

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