Premium
Direct visualization of CaMKII at postsynaptic densities by electron microscopy tomography
Author(s) -
Fera Andrea,
Dosemeci Ayse,
Sousa Alioscka A.,
Yang Charlotte,
Leapman Richard D.,
Reese Thomas S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.23151
Subject(s) - postsynaptic density , postsynaptic potential , cytoplasm , biology , biophysics , electron microscope , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , biochemistry , physics , optics , receptor
Abstract Ca 2+ /calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major component of postsynaptic densities (PSDs) involved in synaptic regulation. It has been previously shown that upon activity CaMKII from the spine reversibly aggregates at the cytoplasmic surfaces of PSDs, where it encounters various targets for phosphorylation. Targets for CaMKII are also present within the PSD, but there has been no reliable method to pinpoint whether, or where, CaMKII is located inside the PSD. Here we show that CaMKII can be mapped molecule‐by‐molecule within isolated PSDs using negative stain electron microscopy tomography. CaMKII molecules found in the core of the PSD may represent a pool distinct from the CaMKII residing at the cytoplasmic surface. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:4218–4225, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.