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The Journal of Neuroscience, June 17, 2009, 29(24):7929-7943; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6093-08.2009

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 Previous Article

Cellular/Molecular
Regulation of Postsynaptic Structure and Function by an A-Kinase Anchoring Protein–Membrane-Associated Guanylate Kinase Scaffolding Complex

Holly R. Robertson,¹ Emily S. Gibson,¹ Timothy A. Benke,^1,2,3,4 and Mark L. Dell'Acqua^1,4

Departments of ¹Pharmacology, ²Pediatrics, and ³Neurology and ⁴Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado 80045

Correspondence should be addressed to Mark L. Dell'Acqua, Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8303, 12800 East 19th Avenue, P.O. Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045. Email: mark.dellacqua{at}ucdenver.edu

A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) 79/150 is a scaffold protein found in dendritic spines that recruits the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein phosphatase 2B–calcineurin (CaN) to membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK)-linked AMPA receptors (AMPARs) to control receptor phosphorylation and synaptic plasticity. However, AKAP79/150 may also coordinate regulation of AMPAR activity with spine structure directly through MAGUK binding and membrane-cytoskeletal interactions of its N-terminal targeting domain. In cultured hippocampal neurons, we observed that rat AKAP150 expression was low early in development but then increased coincident with spine formation and maturation. Overexpression of human AKAP79 in immature or mature neurons increased the number of dendritic filopodia and spines and enlarged spine area. However, RNA interference knockdown of AKAP150 decreased dendritic spine area only in mature neurons. Importantly, AKAP79 overexpression in immature neurons increased AMPAR postsynaptic localization and activity. Neither the AKAP79 PKA nor CaN anchoring domain was required for increasing dendritic protrusion numbers, spine area, or AMPAR synaptic localization; however, an internal region identified as the MAGUK binding domain was found to be essential as shown by expression of a MAGUK binding mutant that formed mainly filopodia and decreased AMPAR synaptic localization and activity. Expression of the AKAP79 N-terminal targeting domain alone also increased filopodia numbers but not spine area. Overall, these results demonstrate a novel structural role for AKAP79/150 in which the N-terminal targeting domain induces dendritic filopodia and binding to MAGUKs promotes spine enlargement and AMPAR recruitment.

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Received Dec. 22, 2008; revised April 29, 2009; accepted May 19, 2009.

Correspondence should be addressed to Mark L. Dell'Acqua, Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop 8303, 12800 East 19th Avenue, P.O. Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045. Email: mark.dellacqua{at}ucdenver.edu

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