2025 Hyper Recent •CC0 1.0 Universal

This work is dedicated to the public domain. No rights reserved.

Access Preprint From Server
September 3rd, 2025
Version: 1
Emory University School of Medicine
neuroscience
bioRxiv

Single-molecule imaging reveals activity-dependent regulation of Camk2a mRNAs at dendritic spines

Hwang, D.-W.Open in Google Scholar•Krishnamurthy, K.Open in Google Scholar•Nagare, A.Open in Google Scholar•Singer, R. H.Open in Google Scholar•Das, S.Open in Google Scholar

Postsynaptic calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (CaMKII) integrates fleeting Ca2+ transients into long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP). A persistent presence of CaMKII at dendritic spines during the maintenance of LTP facilitates the prolongation of synaptic transmission. Yet, it remains unclear how the perpetuation of CaMKII, despite protein turnover, is achieved at dendritic spines. By visualizing endogenous Camk2a mRNAs at single molecule resolution using a newly developed mouse model, we identified a rapid activity-dependent localization of mRNAs to stimulated spines near the postsynaptic density (PSD) of hippocampal neurons. This spine localization was conferred by cis-acting regulatory elements termed cytoplasmic polyadenylation elements (CPEs) in Camk2a mRNA. Spine-localized Camk2a underwent on-site translation, which persisted for extended periods. These findings uncovered a novel local regulation of Camk2a mRNA, which serves to supply dendritic spines with a steady pool of highly concentrated CaMKII for maintaining long-lasting synaptic plasticity.

Similar Papers

bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
Role of Thalamus in Human Conscious Perception Revealed by Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation
The neural basis of consciousness remains incompletely understood. While cortical mechanisms of conscious perception have been extensively investigated in humans, the role of subcortical structures, including the thalamus, remains less explored. Here, we elucidate the causal contributions of different thalamic regions to conscious perception using transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIF...
Jang, H.
•
Fotiadis, P.
•
Mashour, G. A.
•
Hudetz, A. G.
•
Huang, Z.
bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
Astrocytic lysosome deficits reduce alpha-synuclein degradation and induce spread of pathology
Parkinson\'s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra due to Lewy body aggregates, primarily composed of misfolded alpha-synuclein (Syn). While PD progression is thought to be driven by a prion-like spread of Syn aggregates between neurons, the role of astrocytes remains unclear. Observations of Syn pathology in PD patient astr...
Roth, L.
•
Morozova, O.
•
Stoehr, J.
•
Schapansky, J.
bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
Alzheimer's subtypesA supervised, unsupervised, multimodal, multilayered embedded recursive (SUMMER) AI study
Since Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous disease, different subtypes may have distinct biological, genetic, and clinical characteristics, requiring tailored interventions. While several proposed subtypes of AD exist, there is still no clear consensus on a definitive classification. By leveraging complementary AI approaches, including supervised and unsupervised learning, within a recursiv...
Kinreich, S.
•
Bingly, A.
•
Pandey, G.
bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
Developing a model of temporomandibular disorder in the common marmoset using nerve growth factor
Developing an animal model that more closely represents the human multidimensional pain experience is an important step towards addressing the current chronic pain crisis. The common marmoset has potential as this model species given its biological, neurological and phylogenetic similarity to humans. Here, we developed a model of myofascial temporomandibular disorder (TMD) in the marmoset by injec...
Holzscherer, E. J.
•
Kersten, R.
•
Bertrand, M.
•
Khokhar, J. Y.
...•
Seminowicz, D. A.
bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
A Developmental Atlas of the Drosophila Nerve Cord Uncovers a Global Temporal Code for Neuronal Identity
The assembly of functional neural circuits relies on the generation of diverse neural types with precise molecular identity and connectivity. Unlocking general principles of neuronal specification and wiring across the nervous system requires a systematic and high-resolution characterisation of its diversity, recently enabled by advances in single-cell transcriptomics and connectomics. However, li...
Cachero, S.
•
Mitletton, M.
•
Beckett, I. R.
•
Marin, E. C.
...•
Dona, E.
bioRxiv
Thu Sep 04 2025
Children with Autism Show Impaired Oculomotor Entrainment to Predictable Stimuli
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show altered synchronization with external events, which may underlie the rigidity and reduced adaptability that characterize the condition. We previously demonstrated that electroencephalography (EEG) recorded from children with ASD reveals impaired neuronal entrainment to predictable visual sequences. Whether similar effects are reflected in other ...
Beker, S.
•
Kadosh, O.
•
Foxe, J. J.
•
Molholm, S.
•
Bonneh, Y. S.
bioRxiv
Wed Sep 03 2025
Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 impairs the release sites of Parkinson's disease vulnerable dopamine axons
The end-stage pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) involves the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). However, synaptic deregulation of these neurons begins much earlier. Understanding the mechanisms behind synaptic deficits is crucial for early therapeutic intervention, yet these remain largely unknown. In the SNc, different dopamine neuron subtypes show...
Chen, C.
•
He, Q.
•
Tombesi, G.
•
Napier, E.
...•
Parisiadou, L.
bioRxiv
Wed Sep 03 2025
m6A methylation regulates RNA axonal localisation and translation in developing neurons
Methylation on adenosine N6 (m6A) is an abundant post-transcriptional modification of the RNA that regulates almost the entire lifespan of RNA transcripts, from splicing and nuclear export to RNA stability and translation. Peripheral localisation of RNA is an event common to most cells and especially relevant in neurons where transcripts are trafficked to subcellular compartments to promote growth...
Riccio, A.
•
Martinez De La Cruz, B.
•
Galkin, S.
•
Wang, S.
...•
Jing, Y.
bioRxiv
Wed Sep 03 2025
A common Iba1 antibody labels vasopressin neurons in mice
There are a wide variety of commercially available antibodies for labeling microglial cells based on different protein targets, as well as antibodies for the same protein target made in different species. While this array of targets and hosts allows for flexibility in immunohistochemical experiments, it is important to validate that different antibodies provide comparable and accurate immunodetect...
Lichtenstein, H. D.
•
Kamau, F.
•
McGrath, S.
•
Stern, J. E.
•
Bolton, J. L.
bioRxiv
Wed Sep 03 2025
Evaluating Place Cell Detection Methods in Ratsand Humans: Implications for Cross-Species Spatial Coding
Place cells, first identified in the rat hippocampus as neurons that fire selectively at specific locations, are central to investigations of the neural underpinnings of spatial navigation. With recent work with human patients, identifying and characterizing place cells across species has become increasingly important for understanding the extent to which decades of rodent research generalize to h...
Zhang, W.
•
Donoghue, T.
•
Qasim, S. E.
•
Jacobs, J.