Convergent CaMK and RacGEF signals control dendritic structure and function

Peter Penzes; Michael E. Cahill; Kelly A. Jones; Deepak P. Srivastava

doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2008.07.002

Convergent CaMK and RacGEF signals control dendritic structure and function

Peter Penzes^*, Michael E. Cahill, Kelly A. Jones, Deepak P. Srivastava

^*Corresponding author for this work

Neuroscience

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

93 Scopus citations

Abstract

Structural plasticity of excitatory synapses is a vital component of neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and behavior, and its malfunction underlies many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms that control dendritic spine morphogenesis have only recently emerged. We summarize recent work that has revealed an important connection between calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs) and guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) that activate the small GTPase Rac (RacGEFs) in controlling dendritic spine morphogenesis. These two groups of molecules function in neurons as a unique signaling cassette that transduces calcium influx into small GTPase activity and, thence, actin reorganization and spine morphogenesis. Through this pathway, CaMKs and RacGEFs amplify calcium signals and translate them into spatially and temporally regulated structural remodeling of dendritic spines.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	405-413
Number of pages	9
Journal	Trends in Cell Biology
Volume	18
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2008.07.002
State	Published - Sep 2008

Funding

We thank Kevin M. Woolfrey and Caroline Hookway (Northwestern University, http://www.northwestern.edu) for proofreading the manuscript. Research described in the text has been funded by grants from NIH MH 071316, NARSAD and NAAR (to P.P.).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cell Biology

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10.1016/j.tcb.2008.07.002

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title = "Convergent CaMK and RacGEF signals control dendritic structure and function",

abstract = "Structural plasticity of excitatory synapses is a vital component of neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and behavior, and its malfunction underlies many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms that control dendritic spine morphogenesis have only recently emerged. We summarize recent work that has revealed an important connection between calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs) and guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) that activate the small GTPase Rac (RacGEFs) in controlling dendritic spine morphogenesis. These two groups of molecules function in neurons as a unique signaling cassette that transduces calcium influx into small GTPase activity and, thence, actin reorganization and spine morphogenesis. Through this pathway, CaMKs and RacGEFs amplify calcium signals and translate them into spatially and temporally regulated structural remodeling of dendritic spines.",

author = "Peter Penzes and Cahill, {Michael E.} and Jones, {Kelly A.} and Srivastava, {Deepak P.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Kevin M. Woolfrey and Caroline Hookway (Northwestern University, http://www.northwestern.edu) for proofreading the manuscript. Research described in the text has been funded by grants from NIH MH 071316, NARSAD and NAAR (to P.P.).",

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doi = "10.1016/j.tcb.2008.07.002",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Trends in Cell Biology",

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T1 - Convergent CaMK and RacGEF signals control dendritic structure and function

AU - Penzes, Peter

AU - Cahill, Michael E.

AU - Jones, Kelly A.

AU - Srivastava, Deepak P.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Kevin M. Woolfrey and Caroline Hookway (Northwestern University, http://www.northwestern.edu) for proofreading the manuscript. Research described in the text has been funded by grants from NIH MH 071316, NARSAD and NAAR (to P.P.).

PY - 2008/9

Y1 - 2008/9

N2 - Structural plasticity of excitatory synapses is a vital component of neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and behavior, and its malfunction underlies many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms that control dendritic spine morphogenesis have only recently emerged. We summarize recent work that has revealed an important connection between calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs) and guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) that activate the small GTPase Rac (RacGEFs) in controlling dendritic spine morphogenesis. These two groups of molecules function in neurons as a unique signaling cassette that transduces calcium influx into small GTPase activity and, thence, actin reorganization and spine morphogenesis. Through this pathway, CaMKs and RacGEFs amplify calcium signals and translate them into spatially and temporally regulated structural remodeling of dendritic spines.

AB - Structural plasticity of excitatory synapses is a vital component of neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and behavior, and its malfunction underlies many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms that control dendritic spine morphogenesis have only recently emerged. We summarize recent work that has revealed an important connection between calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKs) and guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) that activate the small GTPase Rac (RacGEFs) in controlling dendritic spine morphogenesis. These two groups of molecules function in neurons as a unique signaling cassette that transduces calcium influx into small GTPase activity and, thence, actin reorganization and spine morphogenesis. Through this pathway, CaMKs and RacGEFs amplify calcium signals and translate them into spatially and temporally regulated structural remodeling of dendritic spines.

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Convergent CaMK and RacGEF signals control dendritic structure and function

Abstract

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ASJC Scopus subject areas

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