Myosin Va-dependent Transport of NMDA Receptors in Hippocampal Neurons

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) trafficking is a key process in the regulation of synaptic efficacy and brain function. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the surface transport of NMDARs is largely unknown. Here we identified myosin Va (MyoVa) as the specific motor protein that traffics NMDARs in hippocampal neurons. We found that MyoVa associates with NMDARs through its cargo binding domain. This association was increased during NMDAR surface transport. Knockdown of MyoVa suppressed NMDAR transport. We further demonstrated that Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) regulates NMDAR transport through its direct interaction with MyoVa. Furthermore, MyoVa employed Rab11 family-interacting protein 3 (Rab11/FIP3) as the adaptor proteins to couple themselves with NMDARs during their transport. Accordingly, the knockdown of FIP3 impairs hippocampal memory. Together, we conclude that in hippocampal neurons, MyoVa conducts active transport of NMDARs in a CaMKII-dependent manner.