Geometry-based dynamics of the postsynaptic density explain protein capture by an actin-spine-geometry-dependent synaptic tag

Authors

Thomas, M., Fauth, M.

Abstract

The synaptic tagging and capture (STC) hypothesis explains how early-phase plasticity is converted into its late phase through the coincidence of synaptic tagging and plasticity-related protein (PRP) availability. Yet the biophysical basis of this process remains poorly understood. Based on the hypothesis that the interaction of actin and spine geometry implement the synaptic tag, we here investigate the associated PRP capture mechanism. We propose that capture is implemented by PSD remodelling which is gated by local membrane curvature at the PSD periphery. Using computational modelling, we show that curvature variations around the PSD that arise from long-term potentiation (LTP) inducing stimuli indeed enable a PSD growth, reproducing late-phase potentiation and the maintenance of structural LTP. We further explore how the timing of PRP availability relative to tag formation and the initial spine size determine the extent of PSD enlargement, yielding outcomes consistent with experimental findings. Hence, our results support a structural interpretation of synaptic tagging and capture in which a transient, actin-driven geometric state of the spine encodes the tag, and curvature-mediated PRP recruitment stabilises synaptic changes, and thus render spine geometry as a key biophysical regulator of memory consolidation.

Preprint server: bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 22 Jul 2026.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this preprint? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.