GluA4 is indispensable for driving fast neurotransmission across a high-fidelity central synapse

摘要

Non-technical summaryLocalization of sound sources in the azimuth, which makes use of interaural differences in timing and/or intensity of acoustic signals, is of vital importance for most mammals. Using the small differences in time of arrival and/or intensity at the two ears requires that propagation of electric pulses in the auditory system be temporally precise. In this study, we found that elimination of GluA4, a protein particularly abundant in auditory cells, significantly impairs their ability to faithfully transmit electric signals, leading to profound deficits in auditory responses to sound stimuli in mice. Therefore, we conclude that GluA4 is indispensable for enabling information flow with high fidelity in the auditory circuitry. Our work has identified GluA4 as a potential molecular candidate involved in human hearing deficits and disorders.