ANC Workshop - Kashyap Chhatbar, Oksana Sorokina

Tuesday, 2nd April 2024

Towards the computational model of synaptic architecture - Oksana Sorokina

Abstract: 

Neuronal networks underpin cognition in the brain. These are formed from the electrical neurons themselves and the chemical synapses that connect them. The proteins identified at the mammalian synapse are not expressed in every synapse, rather they reflect a set of molecular components that are differentially distributed between synapses to provide functional specificity. Diversity in synaptic molecular composition is reflected in the heterogeneity of synapse proteome composition that has been observed at the level of brain regions.

There is now sufficient quantitative information on the factors that determine protein abundance (e.g. spatial transcriptomics, translatomics, degradation rates, etc) to underpin a mathematical model that would allow us to predict the distribution of protein abundances within a specific brain cell type and thus infer the functional diversity of synapses at subcellular resolution. We consider spatial complexity of CA1 class neurons using a modified and extended compartmentalised “sushi-belt” (Doyle and Kiebler, 2011, Williams et al., 2016) model, to provide a realistic environment for protein movement, both passive and active. In the first instance we will use quantified intensity levels of puncta of PSD95 protein as a measure of respective protein abundance to assign the coordinate of a certain compartment with respect to actual distance from the soma. These data will be used to optimise the parameters needed to describe the distribution of other protein markers.

Abstract:

Event type: Workshop

Date: Tuesday, 2nd April

Time: 11:00

Location: G.03

Speaker(s): Kashyap Chhatbar, Oksana Sorokina

Chair/Host: