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Proteomic Analysis of the Postsynaptic Density

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Genomics, Proteomics, and the Nervous System

Part of the book series: Advances in Neurobiology ((NEUROBIOL,volume 2))

Abstract

The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a large protein complex lining the postsynaptic membrane with an average mass around 1 million KDa. The structure appears to be an organized array containing neurotransmitter receptors and signal transduction molecules held together by specialized scaffold proteins. PSDs can be isolated by subcellular fractionation, the most widely used protocols consisting of detergent treatment of synaptosomal fractions followed by further density gradient centrifugation steps. Several groups used mass spectrometric approaches to identify proteins in these PSD fractions. An inherent problem in the determination of PSD composition through analysis of isolated fractions has been the presence of contaminants. A method for further purification of PSD fractions by an orthogonal affinity-based strategy and comparison of the parent and purified preparations to trace the enrichment of proteins allows the compilation of a more restricted list of putative PSD components. Ultimately, however, the presence of the identified proteins at the PSD has to be confirmed by immuno-electron microscopy. Proteomic techniques for relative quantification of proteins are applied for the detection of those proteins whose abundance in the PSD change following synaptic activity, as well as in response to various pathological conditions such as ischemia.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Drs Stanford Markey and Thomas Reese for a critical reading of the manuscript. Supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, NINDS.

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  1. Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Ayse Dosemeci

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Correspondence to Ayse Dosemeci .

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  1. Nathan S. Kline Institute for, Psychiatric Research, New York University, Old Orangeburg Road 140, Orangeburg, 10962, New York, USA

    James D Clelland

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Dosemeci, A. (2011). Proteomic Analysis of the Postsynaptic Density. In: Clelland, J. (eds) Genomics, Proteomics, and the Nervous System. Advances in Neurobiology, vol 2. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7197-5_9

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