During their lifetime, GABAA receptors are associated with a variety of other proteins. Some of these proteins might facilitate assembly of receptors and transport of mature, functional receptors to their site of action. Other proteins mediate anchoring to the cytoskeleton, or provide mechanisms that ensure the regulation or efficient turnover of the receptors. And finally, evidence has accumulated for an interaction of GABAA receptors with structurally and functionally divergent families of other neurotransmitter receptors. This interaction enables crosstalk between these receptor systems to dynamically regulate synaptic strength independently of classically defined second-messenger systems.
We are identifying proteins interacting with specific GABAA receptor subtypes, studying the interaction of GABAA receptors with a neuronal protein possibly involved in receptor maturation and/or transport and investigating the interaction of GABAA receptors with other ionotropic or metabotropic receptors.
Researchers involved:
Milos Vasiljevic
Karoline Fuchs
Verena Tretter
Tretter et al (2011) J Biol Chem 286:37702
Shrivastava et al (2011) J Biol Chem 286:14455
Shrivastava et al (2011) Front Cell Neurosci 5:7
Sarto-Jackson et al (2012) J Biol Chem in press
Vasiljevic et al (2012) Neurosci 202:29