Activity-dependent regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcription
Transcription of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) is rapidly and robustly induced by neuronal activity, providing a powerful assay for the identification and characterization of neuronal activity-dependent transcriptional mechanisms. The Bdnf gene has a complex structure with multiple promoters that are differentially regulated by environmental stimuli through the activation of distinct complexes of activity-responsive transcription factors. Recent studies have revealed the importance of histone modifying enzyme complexes in the fine tuning of Bdnf transcription, including a role for the transcriptional repressor MeCP2, which is mutated in the human neurodevelopmental disorder Rett Syndrome. The cumulative data on transcriptional regulation of Bdnf paint a detailed portrait of this gene and define a number of key concepts for understanding the molecular mechanisms of long-lasting synaptic plasticity.
