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SUMMARY:NMDA receptors: diversity\, molecular mechanisms and synaptic regu
 lation. - Prof. Pierre Paoletti. École Normale Supérieure\, Paris.
DTSTART:20150511T153000Z
DTEND:20150511T170000Z
UID:TALK58957@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:P.H. Marchington
DESCRIPTION:Pierre Paoletti \nTalk at the University of Cambridge 11 May 2
 015 \nTitle: “NMDA receptors: diversity\, molecular mechanisms and synap
 tic regulation’ \nThe function of the human brain and its capacity for e
 xperience-dependent change hinges on the dynamics of chemical synapses. My
  team has a long-standing interest in studying the molecular principles un
 derpinning the structure and function of chemical synapses. Specifically\,
  our research focuses on NMDA receptors (NMDARs)\, a family of glutamate-g
 ated ion channel receptors that are essential mediators of synaptic plasti
 city and for which dysfunction is implicated in a variety of neurological 
 and psychiatric disorders\, from schizophrenia to mental retardation and e
 pilepsy. Using a multi-level approach\, we are interested in understanding
  the molecular operation of NMDARs\, identifying their subunit-specific ph
 armacological properties\, and deciphering the biological consequences of 
 their functional diversity. Recent studies from our team have contributed 
 to the emerging view that NMDARs are particularly complex molecular machin
 es\, endowed with unique allosteric capacity and exquisitely sensitive to 
 their native microenvironment. Understanding the impact of NMDAR diversity
  and complexity on normal and diseased function remains a key challenge. I
  will present current knowledge on the anatomical and functional diversity
  of NMDARs\, their molecular architecture and structural mechanisms\, and 
 the recent identification of key regions that allosterically control their
  subunit-specific gating and pharmacological profile. I will also present 
 results obtained with genetically-modified mice revealing how endogenous C
 NS modulators\, such as zinc ions\, interact with specific NMDAR populatio
 ns and regulate excitatory synapses and behavior. Finally\, I will briefly
  discuss how information about NMDAR regulation may translate into the des
 ign of novel therapeutic agents. \n\nSelection of recent publications \nGi
 elen et al. (2008) Structural rearrangements of NR1/NR2A NMDA receptors du
 ring allosteric inhibition. Neuron\, 57\, 80-93. \nGielen et al. (2009) Me
 chanism of differential control of NMDA receptor activity by NR2 subunits.
  Nature\, 459\, 703-707. \nNozaki et al. (2011) Zinc alleviates pain throu
 gh high-affinity binding to the NMDA receptor NR2A subunit. Nature Neurosc
 ience\, 14\, 1017-1082. \nMony et al. (2011) Molecular basis of positive a
 llosteric modulation of GluN2B NMDA receptors by polyamines. EMBO Journal\
 , 30\, 3134-3146. \nZhu et al. (2013) Nature Structural & Molecular Biolog
 y\, 20(4):477-85. \nPaoletti P et al. (2013) NMDA receptor subunit diversi
 ty: impact of receptor properties\, synaptic plasticity and disease. Natur
 e Reviews Neuroscience\, 14\, 383-400. (Review) \nZhu et al. (2014) Geneti
 cally encoding a light switch in an ionotropic glutamate receptor reveals 
 subunit-specific interfaces. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA)\, 111\, 6081-6. \
 nStroebel et al. (2014) Controlling NMDA receptor subunit composition usin
 g ectopic retention signals. Journal of Neuroscience\, 34\, 16630-6. \nVer
 gnano et al. (2014) Zinc dynamics and action at excitatory synapses. Neuro
 n\, 82\, 1101-1114. \n
LOCATION:The Hodgkin Huxley Seminar Room\, Department of Physiology Develo
 pment and Neuroscience
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