The presynaptic particle web: Ultrastructure, composition, dissolution, and reconstitution

Greg R. Phillips; Jeffrey K. Huang; Yun Wang; Hidekazu Tanaka; Lawrence Shapiro; Wandong Zhang; Wei Song Shan; Kirsten Arndt; Marcus Frank; Ronald E. Gordon; Mary Ann Gawinowicz; Yingming Zhao; David R. Colman

doi:10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00450-0

The presynaptic particle web: Ultrastructure, composition, dissolution, and reconstitution

Greg R. Phillips, Jeffrey K. Huang, Yun Wang, Hidekazu Tanaka, Lawrence Shapiro, Wandong Zhang, Wei Song Shan, Kirsten Arndt, Marcus Frank, Ronald E. Gordon, Mary Ann Gawinowicz, Yingming Zhao, David R. Colman

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383 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the purification of a presynaptic "particle web" consisting of ∼50 nm pyramidally shaped particles interconnected by ∼100 nm spaced fibrils. This is the "presynaptic grid" described in early EM studies. It is completely soluble above pH 8, but reconstitutes after dialysis against pH 6. Interestingly, reconstituted particles orient and bind PSDs asymmetrically. Mass spectrometry of purified web components reveals major proteins involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in membrane retrieval. Our data support the idea that the CNS synaptic junction is organized by transmembrane adhesion molecules interlinked in the synaptic cleft, connected via their intracytoplasmic domains to the presynaptic web on one side and to the postsynaptic density on the other. The CNS synaptic junction may therefore be conceptualized as a complicated macromolecular scaffold that isostatically bridges two closely aligned plasma membranes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	63-77
Number of pages	15
Journal	Neuron
Volume	32
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00450-0
State	Published - 2001

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@article{a301705d38af435eafc90556fd8d80bd,

title = "The presynaptic particle web: Ultrastructure, composition, dissolution, and reconstitution",

abstract = "We report the purification of a presynaptic {"}particle web{"} consisting of ∼50 nm pyramidally shaped particles interconnected by ∼100 nm spaced fibrils. This is the {"}presynaptic grid{"} described in early EM studies. It is completely soluble above pH 8, but reconstitutes after dialysis against pH 6. Interestingly, reconstituted particles orient and bind PSDs asymmetrically. Mass spectrometry of purified web components reveals major proteins involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in membrane retrieval. Our data support the idea that the CNS synaptic junction is organized by transmembrane adhesion molecules interlinked in the synaptic cleft, connected via their intracytoplasmic domains to the presynaptic web on one side and to the postsynaptic density on the other. The CNS synaptic junction may therefore be conceptualized as a complicated macromolecular scaffold that isostatically bridges two closely aligned plasma membranes.",

author = "Phillips, {Greg R.} and Huang, {Jeffrey K.} and Yun Wang and Hidekazu Tanaka and Lawrence Shapiro and Wandong Zhang and Shan, {Wei Song} and Kirsten Arndt and Marcus Frank and Gordon, {Ronald E.} and Gawinowicz, {Mary Ann} and Yingming Zhao and Colman, {David R.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the NIH (NS20147 and NS041687) and the NY State Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (C016883) to D.R.C. G.R.P. was supported by an NRSA (NS10836) from the NIH and W.Z. by NS37731.",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00450-0",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "63--77",

journal = "Neuron",

issn = "0896-6273",

publisher = "Cell Press",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The presynaptic particle web

T2 - Ultrastructure, composition, dissolution, and reconstitution

AU - Phillips, Greg R.

AU - Huang, Jeffrey K.

AU - Wang, Yun

AU - Tanaka, Hidekazu

AU - Shapiro, Lawrence

AU - Zhang, Wandong

AU - Shan, Wei Song

AU - Arndt, Kirsten

AU - Frank, Marcus

AU - Gordon, Ronald E.

AU - Gawinowicz, Mary Ann

AU - Zhao, Yingming

AU - Colman, David R.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the NIH (NS20147 and NS041687) and the NY State Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (C016883) to D.R.C. G.R.P. was supported by an NRSA (NS10836) from the NIH and W.Z. by NS37731.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - We report the purification of a presynaptic "particle web" consisting of ∼50 nm pyramidally shaped particles interconnected by ∼100 nm spaced fibrils. This is the "presynaptic grid" described in early EM studies. It is completely soluble above pH 8, but reconstitutes after dialysis against pH 6. Interestingly, reconstituted particles orient and bind PSDs asymmetrically. Mass spectrometry of purified web components reveals major proteins involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in membrane retrieval. Our data support the idea that the CNS synaptic junction is organized by transmembrane adhesion molecules interlinked in the synaptic cleft, connected via their intracytoplasmic domains to the presynaptic web on one side and to the postsynaptic density on the other. The CNS synaptic junction may therefore be conceptualized as a complicated macromolecular scaffold that isostatically bridges two closely aligned plasma membranes.

AB - We report the purification of a presynaptic "particle web" consisting of ∼50 nm pyramidally shaped particles interconnected by ∼100 nm spaced fibrils. This is the "presynaptic grid" described in early EM studies. It is completely soluble above pH 8, but reconstitutes after dialysis against pH 6. Interestingly, reconstituted particles orient and bind PSDs asymmetrically. Mass spectrometry of purified web components reveals major proteins involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in membrane retrieval. Our data support the idea that the CNS synaptic junction is organized by transmembrane adhesion molecules interlinked in the synaptic cleft, connected via their intracytoplasmic domains to the presynaptic web on one side and to the postsynaptic density on the other. The CNS synaptic junction may therefore be conceptualized as a complicated macromolecular scaffold that isostatically bridges two closely aligned plasma membranes.

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DO - 10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00450-0

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AN - SCOPUS:17944375149

SN - 0896-6273

VL - 32

SP - 63

EP - 77

JO - Neuron

JF - Neuron

IS - 1

ER -

The presynaptic particle web: Ultrastructure, composition, dissolution, and reconstitution

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