Project Details
Serotonylation of neuronal proteins by transglutaminases - novel mechanisms in neuronal plasticity
Applicant
Professor Dr. Patrick Schloss
Subject Area
Biological Psychiatry
Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
Term
from 2012 to 2016
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 228887491
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) was first discovered in the blood serum as a vasoconstrictor substance. Here, 5-HT is also covalently incorporated into distinct proteins involved in thrombus formation. This process is mediated by transglutaminases and has been termed "serotonylation". Cross-linking of serotonylated procoagulant proteins to specific binding proteins is essential for blood clot formation. In the central nervous system (CNS) 5-HT plays important roles in both embryonic development as a mediator of neurogenesis and in the mature brain as a neurotransmitter. Disturbances in the 5-HT system have also been indicated in several psychiatric disorders, however, it is questionable whether this is only due to 5-HT acting as a classical neurotransmitter. Taking lessons from the fate of 5-HT during thrombin formation in the blood it is conceivable that also in the CNS 5-HT can serve as a substrate for transglutaminases to form cross-linked matrices - a a possibility which has not been investigated so far. The major goal of this proposal is to unravel new mechanisms how serotonin can interact with neural proteins to form multivalent cross-links and how such yet unknown processes may contribute to neuronal plasticity.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
Participating Person
Professor Dr. Dusan Bartsch