RGD Reference Report - Structural analysis of the synaptic protein neuroligin and its beta-neurexin complex: determinants for folding and cell adhesion. - Rat Genome Database

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Structural analysis of the synaptic protein neuroligin and its beta-neurexin complex: determinants for folding and cell adhesion.

Authors: Fabrichny, IP  Leone, P  Sulzenbacher, G  Comoletti, D  Miller, MT  Taylor, P  Bourne, Y  Marchot, P 
Citation: Fabrichny IP, etal., Neuron. 2007 Dec 20;56(6):979-91.
RGD ID: 8553862
Pubmed: PMID:18093521   (View Abstract at PubMed)
PMCID: PMC2703725   (View Article at PubMed Central)
DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2007.11.013   (Journal Full-text)

The neuroligins are postsynaptic cell adhesion proteins whose associations with presynaptic neurexins participate in synaptogenesis. Mutations in the neuroligin and neurexin genes appear to be associated with autism and mental retardation. The crystal structure of a neuroligin reveals features not found in its catalytically active relatives, such as the fully hydrophobic interface forming the functional neuroligin dimer; the conformations of surface loops surrounding the vestigial active center; the location of determinants that are critical for folding and processing; and the absence of a macromolecular dipole and presence of an electronegative, hydrophilic surface for neurexin binding. The structure of a beta-neurexin-neuroligin complex reveals the precise orientation of the bound neurexin and, despite a limited resolution, provides substantial information on the Ca2+-dependent interactions network involved in trans-synaptic neurexin-neuroligin association. These structures exemplify how an alpha/beta-hydrolase fold varies in surface topography to confer adhesion properties and provide templates for analyzing abnormal processing or recognition events associated with autism.

Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Molecular Function
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
protein binding enablesIPIUniProtKB:Q8N0W48553862PMID:18093521UniProt 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Nrxn1  (neurexin 1)


Additional Information