Structural highlights
Function
[ARC1_DROME] Master regulator of synaptic plasticity that self-assembles into virion-like capsids that encapsulate RNAs and mediate intercellular RNA transfer from motorneurons to muscles (PubMed:29328915). Arc1 protein is released from motorneurons in extracellular vesicles that mediate the transfer of Arc1 mRNA into muscle cells, where Arc1 mRNA can undergo activity-dependent translation (PubMed:29328915). Intercellular transfer od Arc1 mRNA is required for synaptic plasticity at the neuromuscular junction (PubMed:29328915). May play a role in energy balance: required for regulation of body fat by a specific population of brain neurons, named E347, that are necessary and sufficient for proper body fat storage (PubMed:26209258).[1] [2]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Arc, a neuronal gene that is critical for synaptic plasticity, originated through the domestication of retrotransposon Gag genes and mediates intercellular messenger RNA transfer. We report high-resolution structures of retrovirus-like capsids formed by Drosophila dArc1 and dArc2 that have surface spikes and putative internal RNA-binding domains. These data demonstrate that virus-like capsid-forming properties of Arc are evolutionarily conserved and provide a structural basis for understanding their function in intercellular communication.
Structures of virus-like capsids formed by the Drosophila neuronal Arc proteins.,Erlendsson S, Morado DR, Cullen HB, Feschotte C, Shepherd JD, Briggs JAG Nat Neurosci. 2020 Feb;23(2):172-175. doi: 10.1038/s41593-019-0569-y. Epub 2020, Jan 6. PMID:31907439[3]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Mosher J, Zhang W, Blumhagen RZ, D'Alessandro A, Nemkov T, Hansen KC, Hesselberth JR, Reis T. Coordination between Drosophila Arc1 and a specific population of brain neurons regulates organismal fat. Dev Biol. 2015 Sep 15;405(2):280-90. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.07.021. Epub 2015 , Jul 21. PMID:26209258 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.07.021
- ↑ Ashley J, Cordy B, Lucia D, Fradkin LG, Budnik V, Thomson T. Retrovirus-like Gag Protein Arc1 Binds RNA and Traffics across Synaptic Boutons. Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):262-274.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.022. PMID:29328915 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.12.022
- ↑ Erlendsson S, Morado DR, Cullen HB, Feschotte C, Shepherd JD, Briggs JAG. Structures of virus-like capsids formed by the Drosophila neuronal Arc proteins. Nat Neurosci. 2020 Feb;23(2):172-175. doi: 10.1038/s41593-019-0569-y. Epub 2020, Jan 6. PMID:31907439 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41593-019-0569-y
