Neuronal network formation is facilitated by recognition between synaptic cell adhesion molecules at the cell surface. Alternative splicing of cell adhesion molecules provides additional specificity in forming neuronal connections. For the teneurin family of cell adhesion molecules, alternative splicing of the EGF-repeats and NHL domain controls synaptic protein-protein interactions. Here we present cryo-EM structures of the compact dimeric ectodomain of two teneurin-3 isoforms that harbour the splice insert in the EGF-repeats. This dimer is stabilised by an EGF8-ABD contact between subunits. Cryo-EM reconstructions of all four splice variants, together with SAXS and negative stain EM, reveal compacted dimers for each, with variant-specific dimeric arrangements. This results in specific trans-cellular interactions, as tested in cell clustering and stripe assays. The compact conformations provide a structural basis for teneurin homo- and heterophilic interactions. Altogether, our findings demonstrate how alternative splicing results in rearrangements of the dimeric subunits, influencing neuronal recognition and likely circuit wiring.

Establishment of correct synaptic connections is a crucial step during neural circuitry formation. The Teneurin family of neuronal transmembrane proteins promotes cell–cell adhesion via homophilic and heterophilic interactions, and is required for synaptic partner matching in the visual and hippocampal systems in vertebrates. It remains unclear how individual Teneurins form macromolecular cis- and trans-synaptic protein complexes. Here, we present a 2.7 Å cryo-EM structure of the dimeric ectodomain of human Teneurin4. The structure reveals a compact conformation of the dimer, stabilized by interactions mediated by the C-rich, YD-shell, and ABD domains. A 1.5 Å crystal structure of the C-rich domain shows three conserved calcium binding sites, and thermal unfolding assays and SAXS-based rigid-body modeling demonstrate that the compactness and stability of Teneurin4 dimers are calcium-dependent. Teneurin4 dimers form a more extended conformation in conditions that lack calcium. Cellular assays reveal that the compact cis-dimer is compatible with homomeric trans-interactions. Together, these findings support a role for teneurins as a scaffold for macromolecular complex assembly and the establishment of cis- and trans-synaptic interactions to construct functional neuronal circuits.