Investigating the role of a CaV2.1 - Syt7 interaction in Short-term Synaptic Facilitation

Abstract

Synaptic facilitation is the enhancement of successive transmissions between neurons over timespans of less than a second. It is a form of synaptic plasticity which has long been observed, yet its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. P/Q-Type Calcium Channels and Synaptotagmin 7 have both been implicated as critical factors in the generation of synaptic facilitation. In this thesis, I prove a direct molecular interaction between CaV2.1, the α1 subunit of P/Q-Type Calcium Channels, and Synaptotagmin 7 in situ and in cultured cells. I provide the materials for a more directed study of the binding of these proteins and lay a groundwork for the investigation of a functional role of this interaction, which may serve an instrumental role in the production of facilitation across numerous synapses.