Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Slo1

Title: Distinct functions of kainate receptors in the brain are determined by the auxiliary subunit Neto1.

Authors: Christoph Straub, David L Hunt, Miwako Yamasaki, Kwang S Kim, Masahiko Watanabe, Pablo E Castillo, Susumu Tomita

Journal, date & volume: Nat. Neurosci., 2011 Jul , 14, 866-73

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21623363

Abstract
Ionotropic glutamate receptors principally mediate fast excitatory transmission in the brain. Among the three classes of ionotropic glutamate receptors, kainate receptors (KARs) have a unique brain distribution, which has been historically defined by (3)H-radiolabeled kainate binding. Compared with recombinant KARs expressed in heterologous cells, synaptic KARs exhibit characteristically slow rise-time and decay kinetics. However, the mechanisms responsible for these distinct KAR properties remain unclear. We found that both the high-affinity binding pattern in the mouse brain and the channel properties of native KARs are determined by the KAR auxiliary subunit Neto1. Through modulation of agonist binding affinity and off-kinetics of KARs, but not trafficking of KARs, Neto1 determined both the KAR high-affinity binding pattern and the distinctively slow kinetics of postsynaptic KARs. By regulating KAR excitatory postsynaptic current kinetics, Neto1 can control synaptic temporal summation, spike generation and fidelity.