Single-Molecule-Resolution Approaches in Synaptic Biology

Chao Sun

doi:10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08026

Single-Molecule-Resolution Approaches in Synaptic Biology

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Review › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Synapses between neurons are the primary loci for information transfer and storage in the brain. An individual neuron, alone, can make over 10000 synaptic contacts. It is, however, not easy to investigate what goes on locally within a synapse because many synaptic compartments are only a few hundred nanometers wide in size─close to the diffraction limit of light. To observe the biomolecular machinery and processes within synapses, in situ single-molecule techniques are emerging as powerful tools. Guided by important biological questions, this Perspective will highlight recent advances in using these techniques to obtain in situ measurements of synaptic molecules in three aspects: the cell-biological machinery within synapses, the synaptic architecture, and the synaptic neurotransmitter receptors. These advances showcase the increasing importance of single-molecule-resolution techniques for accessing subcellular biophysical and biomolecular information related to the brain.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume	128
Issue	13
Pages (from-to)	3061-3068
Number of pages	8
ISSN	1520-6106
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08026
Publication status	Published - 4 Apr 2024

Keywords

Biology
Neurons/physiology
Synapses/physiology

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10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08026

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abstract = "Synapses between neurons are the primary loci for information transfer and storage in the brain. An individual neuron, alone, can make over 10000 synaptic contacts. It is, however, not easy to investigate what goes on locally within a synapse because many synaptic compartments are only a few hundred nanometers wide in size─close to the diffraction limit of light. To observe the biomolecular machinery and processes within synapses, in situ single-molecule techniques are emerging as powerful tools. Guided by important biological questions, this Perspective will highlight recent advances in using these techniques to obtain in situ measurements of synaptic molecules in three aspects: the cell-biological machinery within synapses, the synaptic architecture, and the synaptic neurotransmitter receptors. These advances showcase the increasing importance of single-molecule-resolution techniques for accessing subcellular biophysical and biomolecular information related to the brain.",

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AB - Synapses between neurons are the primary loci for information transfer and storage in the brain. An individual neuron, alone, can make over 10000 synaptic contacts. It is, however, not easy to investigate what goes on locally within a synapse because many synaptic compartments are only a few hundred nanometers wide in size─close to the diffraction limit of light. To observe the biomolecular machinery and processes within synapses, in situ single-molecule techniques are emerging as powerful tools. Guided by important biological questions, this Perspective will highlight recent advances in using these techniques to obtain in situ measurements of synaptic molecules in three aspects: the cell-biological machinery within synapses, the synaptic architecture, and the synaptic neurotransmitter receptors. These advances showcase the increasing importance of single-molecule-resolution techniques for accessing subcellular biophysical and biomolecular information related to the brain.

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Single-Molecule-Resolution Approaches in Synaptic Biology

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