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Brain synapses use alternative protein assembly to regulate information processing

Brain synapses use alternative protein assembly to regulate information processing

At brain synapses, the nano-machine for protein clearance can regulate information processing at synapses using just a component of the full machinery (Sun et al., Science 2023)

Microscope

Subcellular compartmentalisation drives parallel processing

An individual neuron hosts about 10000 synapses (dark puncta) in its expansive dendritic and axonal arbour

The prevalence of synaptic protein synthesis

The prevalence of synaptic protein synthesis

Local ribosomes supply proteins for synaptic maintenance and plasticity (Sun et al 2021). Graphic by Julia Kuhl

Super-resolved ribosome particles

Super-resolved ribosome particles

Ribosome small subunits (left), monoribosomes (middle), and polyribosomes (right) were visualised at single-molecule resolution (Sun et al 2021).

'BioNumbers' of a neuron

'BioNumbers' of a neuron

'BioNumbers' of a neuron and its proteins (from Review: Sun and Schuman 2022)

THE SYNAPTIC LOGISTICS LAB

The Sun lab investigates the protein machinery that manages the molecular homeostasis of brain synapses using quantitative in situ single-molecule approaches. Our core hypothesis: molecular supply puts constraints on synaptic function, and the logistic vulnerabilities of brain synapses seed the onset of neurological diseases.

We are looking for talents!

Postdoc position funded by PROMEMO & Lundbeck Foundation to study molecular homeostasis at synapses is now open (deadline Sept. 6th, 2024). Apply here

The Lab of Synaptic Logistics is located in the Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), a Nordic-EMBL partner at Aarhus University, Denmark.

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CONTACT

Dr. Chao Sun

Aarhus University, DANDRITE

Universitetsbyen 81, 1874-111

Aarhus 8000, Denmark 

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