Regulation of neurotransmitter release and synaptic vesicle recycling by protein ubiquitination

This proposal seeks to understand how an important protein modification called ‘ubiquitination’ regulates signaling in the brain. Defects in ubiquitination are linked to multiple neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease). However, very little is known about how ubiquitination contributes to normal brain function, or how defective ubiquitination disrupts communication between neurons and leads to impaired cognition and behavior. Our proposed studies will shed light on these questions. This work will also identify potential therapeutic targets for treating diseases that arise from dysregulated ubiquitination.