Retrovirus-like Gag Protein Arc1 Binds RNA and Traffics across Synaptic Boutons
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Student Authors
James AshleyAcademic Program
NeuroscienceDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2018-01-11Keywords
Arc/Arg3.1Gag domain
RNA trafficking
RNA-binding protein
exosomes
extracellular vesicles
plasticity
retrotransposon
synapse
trans-synaptic RNA transport
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
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Arc/Arg3.1 is required for synaptic plasticity and cognition, and mutations in this gene are linked to autism and schizophrenia. Arc bears a domain resembling retroviral/retrotransposon Gag-like proteins, which multimerize into a capsid that packages viral RNA. The significance of such a domain in a plasticity molecule is uncertain. Here, we report that the Drosophila Arc1 protein forms capsid-like structures that bind darc1 mRNA in neurons and is loaded into extracellular vesicles that are transferred from motorneurons to muscles. This loading and transfer depends on the darc1-mRNA 3' untranslated region, which contains retrotransposon-like sequences. Disrupting transfer blocks synaptic plasticity, suggesting that transfer of dArc1 complexed with its mRNA is required for this function. Notably, cultured cells also release extracellular vesicles containing the Gag region of the Copia retrotransposon complexed with its own mRNA. Taken together, our results point to a trans-synaptic mRNA transport mechanism involving retrovirus-like capsids and extracellular vesicles.Source
Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):262-274.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.022. Link to article on publisher's websiteDOI
10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.022Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/37944PubMed ID
29328915Related Resources
ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.022