Cysteine-String Protein's Neuroprotective Role

Abstract

Cysteine-string protein (CSP), a member of the DnaJ/Hsp40 family of cochaperones, is critical for maintaining neurotransmitter release and preventing neurodegeneration. CSP likely forms a chaperone complex on synaptic vesicles together with the 70-kDa heat shock cognate (Hsc70) and the small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-containing protein (SGT) that may control or protect the assembly and activity of SNARE proteins and various other protein substrates. Here, the author summarizes studies that elucidated CSP's neuroprotective role.

Keywords::

• cysteine-string protein
• neurodegeneration
• neurotransmitter release
• synaptic vesicle

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am grateful to Mays Imad for her help with the illustrations.

Declaration of interest: K.E.Z. is supported by grants from NINDS (R03 NS057215-01, R01 NS052664-01, and 1R03MH087827-01).