Monday, April 22, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm-5:00 pm
Speaker: Clive R. Bramham, M.D., Ph.D.
Affiliation: Professor and Head of Neuroscience, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway

Host: Mriganka Sur, Ph.D., FRS

Talk title: Arc as a master regulator of neuronal plasticity: signaling protein or retroviral-like capsid.

Abstract: The immediate early gene, Arc, is a pivotal regulator of synaptic plasticity, memory, and cognitive flexibility. But what is Arc protein, how does it work? Recent work has provided surprising insights into the structural and biochemical properties of the Arc protein. Inside the neuron, Arc is protein interaction hub and dynamic regulator of synaptic plasticity. In radical contrast, Arc protein can also self-assemble into retrovirus-like capsids that are released in extracellular vesicles and capable of intercellular transfer of RNA. Resolving this dichotomy is of major importance for understanding how neuronal activity shapes connectivity in neural networks.