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MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, UK

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are cation channels that localize to neuronal synapses, where they are activated (gated) by the neurotransmitter L-glutamate. AMPARs mediate the majority of excitatory (depolarizing) neurotransmission in vertebrate brains and stand out for their diversity compared to other ionotropic glutamate receptors. These receptors are composed of four core subunits (GluA1-A4), which can assemble in various combinations and associate with a range of auxiliary subunits. Different receptor assemblies are characterized by specific gating and trafficking properties and can be selectively expressed in different brain circuits, and even within specific synapses in a given circuitry.

In this seminar, I will discuss the fundamental structure of AMPARs, including the differences between calcium-permeable (GluA2-lacking) and calcium-impermeable (GluA2-containing) forms, the organization of key auxiliary subunits, and how these architectural principles relate to their function and sub-synaptic organization.

Selected publications: 

1. Ivica et al. . Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2024 Aug 13.
2. Zhang et al. (2023) . Nature 621(7980): 877-882.
3. Zhang et al. (2021) . Nature 594(7863): 454-458.
4. Herguedas et al. (2019) . Science 364(6438): pii: eaav9011.
5. Watson et al. (2017) . Elife 14;6: pii: e23024.
6. Greger et al. (2017) . Neuron 94: (4):713-730.
7. Herguedas et al. (2016) . Science 352: (6285):aad3873.
8. Cais et al. (2014) Cell Rep. 9: 728-40.
9. Penn et al. (2012) Neuron 76: 530-10.

°ä³ó²¹¾±°ù±è±ð°ù²õ´Ç²Ô:ÌýHongyu Zhang, Department of Biomedicine