INTERACTION OF THE N-ETHYLMALEIMIDE-SENSITIVE FACTOR WITH AMPA RECEPTORS

Glutamate receptors mediate the majority of rapid excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS) and play important ro les in synaptic plasticity and neuronal development. Recently, protein -protein interactions with the C-terminal domain of glutamate receptor subunits have been shown to be involved in the modulation of receptor function and clustering at excitatory synapses. In this paper, we hav e found that the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), a protein in volved in membrane fusion events, specifically interacts with the C te rminus of the GluR2 and GluR4c subunits of AMPA receptors in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, intracellular perfusion of neurons with a syntheti c peptide that competes with the interaction of NSF and AMPA receptor subunits rapidly decreases the amplitude of miniature excitatory posts ynaptic currents (mEPSCs), suggesting that NSF regulates AMPA receptor function.