The rat brain postsynaptic density fraction contains a homolog of the Drosophila discs-large tumor suppressor protein. |
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Authors: | K O Cho C A Hunt M B Kennedy |
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Affiliation: | Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125. |
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Abstract: | In CNS synapses, the synaptic junctional complex with associated postsynaptic density is presumed to contain proteins responsible for adhesion between pre- and postsynaptic membranes and for postsynaptic signal transduction. We have found that a prominent, brain-specific protein (PSD-95) enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction from rat brain is highly similar to the Drosophila lethal(1)discs-large-1 (dlg) tumor suppressor protein. The dlg protein is associated with septate junctions in developing flies and contains a guanylate kinase domain that is required for normal control of cell division. The sequence similarity between dlg and PSD-95 suggests that molecular mechanisms critical for growth control in developing organisms may also regulate synapse formation, stabilization, or function in the adult brain. |
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