Palmitoylation-dependent regulation of protein targeting to the AIS
The AIS is in the proximal part of the axon (pink) and is the site of action potential generation. Action potential firing is dependent on the high density of voltage-gated sodium (Nav; green) and potassium channels (Kv7 [light blue] and Kv1 [light purple]) at this site. These ion channels are clustered at the AIS via interactions with their scaffolds AnkG (light red) and PSD93 (dark blue) that also interact with the cell adhesion molecules NrCAM (dark purple), Neurofascin (brown), and Capsr2 (teal) and with the underlying actin, α2/β4-spectrin, and microtubule cytoskeleton. All these AIS components are either targeted to the AIS in a palmitoylation-dependent manner (solid red bar, AnkG, PSD93, and Kv1 channels) or are palmitoylated, but the role of palmitoylation in AIS targeting is currently unknown (red bar with a question mark). Figure created with BioRender.com. Abbreviation: NrCAM, neuronal cell adhesion molecule.