Neuroligin 1 (NLGN1)

Neuroligin-1 is a member of the neuroligin family of neuronal cell surface proteins. Neuroligins may act as splice site-specific ligands for beta-neurexins and may be involved in the formation and remodeling of central nervous system synapses.NLGN1 binds to beta-neurexins only if they lack an insert in the alternatively spliced sequence of the G domain, and not if they contain an insert. The extracellular sequence of rat neuroligin-1 is composed of a catalytically inactive esterase domain homologous to acetylcholinesterase. Alternative splicing of neurexins at the binding site recognized by neuroligin-1 is highly regulated. These findings support a model whereby alternative splicing of neurexins creates a family of cell surface receptors that confer interactive specificity on their resident neurons.