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Subcellular and regional localization of mRNA translation in midbrain dopamine neurons
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Description
Local translation within excitatory and inhibitory neurons is known to be involved in neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. Despite the extensive dendritic and axonal arborizations of monoaminergic neurons, the subcellular localization of protein synthesis has not been well-characterized in these populations. Here, we investigated mRNA localization in midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons, cells with enormous axonal and dendritic projections, both of which can release dopamine (DA). Using highly-sensitive sequencing and imaging approaches in mDA axons, we found no evidence for axonal mRNA localization or translation. In contrast, we found that mDA neuronal dendritic projections into the substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) contain ribosomes and mRNAs encoding the DA synthesis, release, and reuptake machinery. Surprisingly, we found dendritic localization of mRNAs encoding synaptic vesicular release proteins in mDA neurons. Our results are consistent with a role for local translation in the regulation of DA transmission from dendrites, but not striatal axons. Finally, we defined a molecular signature of sparse mDA neurons in the SNr, including enrichment of an ER calcium pump previously undescribed in mDA neurons. RNA-sequencing of brain tissue, RiboTagged dopamine neurons, and synaptosomes using PLATE-seq 3'-tag sequencing or Clontech SMARTer full-length RNA library preparation This dataset is a part of "Subcellular and regional localization of mRNA translation in midbrain dopamine neurons" (Hobson et. al, 2022).