Abstract
Piccolo is a novel component of the presynaptic cytoskeletal matrix (PCM) assembled at the active zone of neurotransmitter release. Analysis of its primary structure reveals that Piccolo is a multidomain zinc finger protein structurally related to Bassoon, another PCM protein. Both proteins were found to be shared components of glutamatergic and GABAergic CNS synapses but not of the cholinergic neuromuscular junction. The Piccolo zinc fingers were found to interact with the dual prenylated rab3A and VAMP2/Synaptobrevin II receptor PRA1. We show that PRA1 is a synaptic vesicle-associated protein that is colocalized with Piccolo in nerve terminals of hippocampal primary neurons. These data suggest that Piccolo plays a role in the trafficking of synaptic vesicles (SVs) at the active zone.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Carrier Proteins*
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Cells, Cultured
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Cytoskeletal Proteins / chemistry
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Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
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Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism
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Exons / genetics
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Fungal Proteins / analysis
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Fungal Proteins / metabolism
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GTP-Binding Proteins
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Glutamic Acid / physiology
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Hippocampus / cytology
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Humans
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Introns / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism
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Mice
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
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Neurons / chemistry*
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Neurons / cytology
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neuropeptides / chemistry
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Neuropeptides / genetics*
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Neuropeptides / metabolism
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Presynaptic Terminals / chemistry*
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Presynaptic Terminals / metabolism
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R-SNARE Proteins
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Rabbits
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Rats
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Receptors, Cell Surface*
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Vesicular Transport Proteins
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Zinc Fingers / genetics*
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / physiology
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rab3A GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism
Substances
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BSN protein, human
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Bsn protein, mouse
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Bsn protein, rat
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Carrier Proteins
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Cytoskeletal Proteins
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Fungal Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Neuropeptides
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PCLO protein, human
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Pclo protein, mouse
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Pclo protein, rat
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R-SNARE Proteins
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Rabac1 protein, mouse
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Rabac1 protein, rat
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Vesicular Transport Proteins
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Glutamic Acid
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
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GTP-Binding Proteins
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RABAC1 protein, human
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rab3A GTP-Binding Protein