The leucine-rich repeat superfamily of synaptic adhesion molecules: LRRTMs and slitrks

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Abstract

Synapses are asymmetric intercellular junctions connected by multiple synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). Synaptic CAMs function in various stages of synaptogenesis - the process of synapse creation - encompassing synapse formation, maturation, refinement, plasticity, and elimination. The list of synaptic CAMs has rapidly grown, although their precise functions of most CAMs at synapses remain incomplete. Members of an emerging class of transmembrane proteins containing leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains have received considerable recent research attention. In this minireview, I discuss recent findings on LRR-containing synaptic CAMs that impact synapse development and circuit formation, focusing on two families of LRR synaptic CAMs: leucine-rich transmembrane proteins (LRRTMs) and Slit and Trk-like family (Slitrks). Their basic biochemical properties, proposed functions at synapses, physiological significances, and open questions are summarized.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)335-340
Number of pages6
JournalMolecules and Cells
Volume34
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
I thank for the support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) from the Ministry of Education, Science and T echnology (2011-0028337), the Yonsei University Research Fund of 2011 and a T J Park Junior Faculty Fellowship from the POSCO TJ Park Foundation for this study.

Keywords

  • LRR
  • LRRTM
  • Slitrk
  • Synaptic cell adhesion

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