Biology subjects

Hale, W. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Hale, W. D..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Dynamic extracellular interactions with AMPA receptors

Synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system enables the encoding, storing, and integrating new information. AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate most fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain, and plasticity of AMPARs signaling underlies the long-lasting changes in synaptic efficacy and strength important for learning and memory.1,2 Recent work has indicated that the enigmatic N-terminal domain (NTD) of AMPARs may be a critical regulator of synaptic targeting and plasticity of AMPARs. However, few synaptic proteins have been identified that regulate AMPAR plasticity through interactions with AMPAR NTDs. Moreover, the scope of AMPAR NTD interactors that are important for synaptic plasticity remains unknown. Here, we present the dynamic, extracellular interactome for AMPARs during synaptic plasticity. Using surface-restricted proximity labeling and BioSITe-based proteomics, we identified 70 proteins that were differentially labeled by APEX2-tagged AMPARs after induction of chemical Long-term potentiation of synapses (cLTP) in cultured neurons. Included in this list, were four members of the IgLON family of GPI-anchored proteins (Ntm, OBCAM/Opcml, Negr1, Lsamp). We show OBCAM and NTM directly interact with the extracellular domains of AMPARs. Moreover, overexpression of NTM significantly attenuates the mobility of surface AMPARs in dendritic spines. These data represent a significant first step at uncovering the unexplored extracellular regulation of AMPARs, with broad implications for synapse function and synaptic plasticity. Significance StatementOver the past 30 years, significant effort has been focused on understanding the mechanisms that induce long-lasting changes in synapse strength (synaptic plasticity) that drive learning and memory. While many studies have investigated intracellular mechanisms that enable plasticity, especially those acting on AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs), significantly less is known regarding extracellular mechanisms that shape changes in synapse function. Here, we identified 70 proteins that differentially associate with the extracellular region of AMPARs during chemically-induced synaptic plasticity. We show that OBCAM and NTM directly interact with the NTD of AMPARs and regulate their mobility on the surface of neurons. These data advance our understanding of extracellular AMPAR regulation, with broad implications for synapse function and synaptic plasticity.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Architecture, Activation, and Conformational Plasticity in the GluA4 AMPA Receptor

AMPA-subtype glutamate receptors (AMPARs), composed of subunits GluA1-4, mediate fast, excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain. After glutamate binding, AMPAR ion channels exhibit multiple subconductance states that tune neuronal responses to glutamate. GluA4 is the rarest subunit in the brain but is enriched in interneurons. Rising evidence points to the role of GluA4 AMPARs in the development of neurological diseases, but the structural mechanisms of GluA4 function have remained enigmatic. Here, from bilayer recordings and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we report the unique features of GluA4 AMPARs that tune receptor function. We find that GluA4 AMPARs have a canonical "Y" shaped architecture where local dimer pairs are domain-swapped between the amino terminal domain (ATD) and ligand binding domain (LBD), both of which comprise the extracellular domain. All four LBDs are glutamate bound yet open the GluA4 ion channel by asymmetric hinging in all channel helices. We observe that the glutamate-saturated LBD has conformational plasticity, and the different conformations of the LBD tune the ion channel gate below. These data provide a framework for understanding how channel subconductance can occur during conditions of saturating glutamate, outline the unique properties of GluA4, expand our understanding of conformational plasticity in AMPARs, and will inform therapeutic design.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2023

Allosteric Competition and Inhibition in AMPA Receptors

Excitatory neurotransmission is principally mediated by AMPA-subtype ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPARs). Dysregulation of AMPARs is the cause of many neurological disorders and how therapeutic candidates such as negative allosteric modulators inhibit AMPARs is unclear. Here, we show that non-competitive inhibition desensitizes AMPARs to activation and prevents positive allosteric modulation. We dissected the noncompetitive inhibition mechanism of action by capturing AMPARs bound to glutamate and the prototypical negative allosteric modulator, GYKI-52466, with cryo-electron microscopy. Noncompetitive inhibition by GYKI-52466, which binds in the transmembrane collar region surrounding the ion channel, negatively modulates AMPARs by decoupling glutamate binding in the ligand binding domain from the ion channel. Furthermore, during allosteric competition between negative and positive modulators, negative allosteric modulation by GKYI-52466 outcompetes positive allosteric modulators to control AMPAR function. Our data provide a new framework for understanding allostery of AMPARs and foundations for rational design of therapeutics targeting AMPARs in neurological diseases.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2023

Structure of Transmembrane AMPA Receptor Regulatory Protein Subunit γ2

Transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs) are claudin-like proteins that tightly regulate AMPA receptors (AMPARs) and are fundamental for excitatory neurotransmission. We used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to reconstruct the 36 kDa TARP subunit {gamma}2 to 2.3 [A] and reveal the structural diversity of TARPs. Our data reveals critical motifs that distinguish TARPs from claudins and define how sequence variations within TARPs differentiate subfamilies and their regulation of AMPARs.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2022

Engineered Adhesion Molecules Drive Synapse Organization

In multicellular organisms, cell-adhesion molecules connect cells into tissues and mediate intercellular signaling between these cells. In vertebrate brains, synaptic cell-adhesion molecules (SAMs) guide the formation, specification, and plasticity of synapses. Some SAMs, when overexpressed in cultured neurons or in heterologous cells co-cultured with neurons, drive formation of synaptic specializations onto the overexpressing cells. However, genetic deletion of the same SAMs from neurons often has no effect on synapse numbers, but frequently severely impairs synaptic transmission, suggesting that most SAMs control the function and plasticity of synapses (i.e., organize synapses) instead of driving their initial establishment (i.e., make synapses). Since few SAMs were identified that mediate initial synapse formation, it is difficult to develop methods that enable experimental control of synaptic connections by targeted expression of these SAMs. To overcome this difficulty, we engineered novel SAMs from bacterial proteins with no eukaryotic homologues that drive synapse formation. We named these engineered adhesion proteins Barnoligin and Starexin because they were assembled from parts of Barnase and Neuroligin-1 or of Barstar and Neurexins, respectively. Barnoligin and Starexin robustly induce the formation of synaptic specializations in a specific and directional manner in cultured neurons. Synapse formation by Barnoligin and Starexin requires both their extracellular Barnase- and Bastar-derived interaction domains and their Neuroligin- and Neurexin-derived intracellular signaling domains. Our findings support a model of synapse formation whereby trans-synaptic interactions by SAMs drive synapse organization via adhesive interactions that activate signaling cascades.

neuroscience↗