Nanoscopic spine localization of Norbin, an mGluR5 accessory protein.

Westin L, Reuss M, Lindskog M, Aperia A, Brismar H

BMC Neurosci 15 (-) 45 [2014-03-26; online 2014-03-26]

Norbin is a neuron-specific, cytosolic protein that interacts with the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) and has a profound impact on mGluR5 signaling. Yet, little is known about its synaptic distribution. Here we have analyzed the spatial relationship between Norbin, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), actin and mGluR5 in spines using super-resolution microscopy. Norbin was found to have a high degree of colocalization with actin and a lower degree of colocalization with PSD-95. Co-immunoprecipitation studies confirmed that interaction occurs between Norbin and actin, but not between Norbin and PSD-95. Norbin was also found to have a high degree of colocalization with the perisynaptically located mGluR5. Findings based on structured illumination microscopy (3D-SIM) of exogenous expressed Norbin-GFP were confirmed by stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) of immunolabeled endogenous Norbin. Norbin associates with actin rather than with PSD-95 in dendritic spines. Results regarding protein localization and colocalization performed with conventional confocal microscopy must be interpreted with great caution. The now available super-resolution microscopy techniques provide more accurate information about sub-cellular protein localization than previously was possible.

Affiliated researcher

PubMed 24670218

DOI 10.1186/1471-2202-15-45

Crossref 10.1186/1471-2202-15-45

pii: 1471-2202-15-45
pmc: PMC3976536


Publications 9.5.0