Regulation of dendritic spine formation and synaptic development by ARMS

Regulation of ARMS (ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning), a scaffold protein involved in neuronal development is not well understood,

The researchers in this study show that a direct but non-canonical interaction between ARMS and controls dendritic spine development and synaptic maturation.

The authors demonstrate that ARMS uses its N-terminal ankyrin repeat to specifically interact with the GABARAP subfamily of Atg8-family adaptor, but not with LC3 proteins. The crystal structure of the ARMS‑GABARAP complex reveals a binding mode that is distinct from previously characterized autophagy-adaptor interactions.

The study shows that GABARAP negatively regulates ARMS-mediated dendritic spine development in neurons and autophagy controls ARMS protein abundance through GABARAP-dependent turnover.

Ankyrin-derived peptides disrupt the ARMS-GABARAP interaction and alter ARMS subcellular localization. increasing its accumulation in the soma of neurons.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s44318-025-00669-w

https://sciencemission.com/RMS-GABARAP-interaction-modulates-dendritic-spine