Drosophila synaptotagmin I null mutants survive to early adulthood

Zinc Finger RNA-Binding Protein Zn72D Regulates ADAR-Mediated RNA Editing in Neurons

Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, catalyzed by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) enzymes, alters RNA sequences from those encoded by DNA. These editing events are dynamically regulated, but few trans regulators of ADARs are known in vivo. Here, we screen RNA-binding proteins for roles in editing regulation with knockdown experiments in the Drosophila brain. We identify zinc-finger protein at 72D (Zn72D) as a regulator of editing levels at a majority of editing sites in the brain. Zn72D both regulates ADAR protein levels and interacts with ADAR in an RNA-dependent fashion, and similar to ADAR, Zn72D is necessary to maintain proper neuromuscular junction architecture and fly mobility. Furthermore, Zn72D’s regulatory role in RNA editing is conserved because the mammalian homolog of Zn72D, Zfr, regulates editing in mouse primary neurons. The broad and conserved regulation of ADAR editing by Zn72D in neurons sustains critically important editing events.

Sapiro et al. identify Drosophila Zn72D as an influential regulator of neuronal A-to-I RNA editing and synaptic morphology. Zn72D regulates ADAR levels and editing at a large subset of editing sites, providing insight into the maintenance of critical tissue-specific RNA editing events.

Function of Drosophila Synaptotagmins in membrane trafficking at synapses

The Synaptotagmin (SYT) family of proteins play key roles in regulating membrane trafficking at neuronal synapses. Using both Ca²⁺-dependent and Ca²⁺-independent interactions, several SYT isoforms participate in synchronous and asynchronous fusion of synaptic vesicles (SVs) while preventing spontaneous release that occurs in the absence of stimulation. Changes in the function or abundance of the SYT1 and SYT7 isoforms alter the number and route by which SVs fuse at nerve terminals. Several SYT family members also regulate trafficking of other subcellular organelles at synapses, including dense core vesicles (DCV), exosomes, and postsynaptic vesicles. Although SYTs are linked to trafficking of multiple classes of synaptic membrane compartments, how and when they interact with lipids, the SNARE machinery and other release effectors are still being elucidated. Given mutations in the SYT family cause disorders in both the central and peripheral nervous system in humans, ongoing efforts are defining how these proteins regulate vesicle trafficking within distinct neuronal compartments. Here, we review the Drosophila SYT family and examine their role in synaptic communication. Studies in this invertebrate model have revealed key similarities and several differences with the predicted activity of their mammalian counterparts. In addition, we highlight the remaining areas of uncertainty in the field and describe outstanding questions on how the SYT family regulates membrane trafficking at nerve terminals.

Biallelic loss of function variants in SYT2 cause a treatable congenital onset presynaptic myasthenic syndrome

Synaptotagmins are integral synaptic vesicle membrane proteins that function as calcium sensors and regulate neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic nerve terminal. Synaptotagmin-2 (SYT2), is the major isoform expressed at the neuromuscular junction. Recently, dominant missense variants in SYT2 have been reported as a rare cause of distal motor neuropathy and myasthenic syndrome, manifesting with stable or slowly progressive distal weakness of variable severity along with presynaptic NMJ impairment. These variants are thought to have a dominant-negative effect on synaptic vesicle exocytosis, although the precise pathomechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we report seven patients of five families, with biallelic loss of function variants in SYT2, clinically manifesting with a remarkably consistent phenotype of severe congenital onset hypotonia and weakness, with variable degrees of respiratory involvement. Electrodiagnostic findings were consistent with a presynaptic congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) in some. Treatment with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor pursued in three patients showed clinical improvement with increased strength and function. This series further establishes SYT2 as a CMS-disease gene and expands its clinical and genetic spectrum to include recessive loss-of-function variants, manifesting as a severe congenital onset presynaptic CMS with potential treatment implications.

The role of the C2A domain of synaptotagmin 1 in asynchronous neurotransmitter release

Following nerve stimulation, there are two distinct phases of Ca²⁺-dependent neurotransmitter release: a fast, synchronous release phase, and a prolonged, asynchronous release phase. Each of these phases is tightly regulated and mediated by distinct mechanisms. Synaptotagmin 1 is the major Ca²⁺ sensor that triggers fast, synchronous neurotransmitter release upon Ca²⁺ binding by its C₂A and C₂B domains. It has also been implicated in the inhibition of asynchronous neurotransmitter release, as blocking Ca²⁺ binding by the C₂A domain of synaptotagmin 1 results in increased asynchronous release. However, the mutation used to block Ca²⁺ binding in the previous experiments (aspartate to asparagine mutations, syt^D-N) had the unintended side effect of mimicking Ca²⁺ binding, raising the possibility that the increase in asynchronous release was directly caused by ostensibly constitutive Ca²⁺ binding. Thus, rather than modulating an asynchronous sensor, syt^D-N may be mimicking one. To directly test the C₂A inhibition hypothesis, we utilized an alternate C₂A mutation that we designed to block Ca²⁺ binding without mimicking it (an aspartate to glutamate mutation, syt^D-E). Analysis of both the original syt^D-N mutation and our alternate syt^D-E mutation at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction showed differential effects on asynchronous release, as well as on synchronous release and the frequency of spontaneous release. Importantly, we found that asynchronous release is not increased in the syt^D-E mutant. Thus, our work provides new mechanistic insight into synaptotagmin 1 function during Ca²⁺-evoked synaptic transmission and demonstrates that Ca²⁺ binding by the C₂A domain of synaptotagmin 1 does not inhibit asynchronous neurotransmitter release in vivo.

Drosophila Synaptotagmin 7 negatively regulates synaptic vesicle release and replenishment in a dosage-dependent manner

Synchronous neurotransmitter release is triggered by Ca2+ binding to the synaptic vesicle protein Synaptotagmin 1, while asynchronous fusion and short-term facilitation is hypothesized to be mediated by plasma membrane-localized Synaptotagmin 7 (SYT7). We generated mutations in Drosophila Syt7 to determine if it plays a conserved role as the Ca2+ sensor for these processes. Electrophysiology and quantal imaging revealed evoked release was elevated 2-fold. Syt7 mutants also had a larger pool of readily-releasable vesicles, faster recovery following stimulation, and intact facilitation. Syt1/Syt7 double mutants displayed more release than Syt1 mutants alone, indicating SYT7 does not mediate the residual asynchronous release remaining in the absence of SYT1. SYT7 localizes to an internal membrane tubular network within the peri-active zone, but does not enrich at active zones. These findings indicate the two Ca2+ sensor model of SYT1 and SYT7 mediating all phases of neurotransmitter release and facilitation is not applicable at Drosophila synapses.

The C2A domain of synaptotagmin is an essential component of the calcium sensor for synaptic transmission

The synaptic vesicle protein, synaptotagmin, is the principle Ca²⁺ sensor for synaptic transmission. Ca²⁺ influx into active nerve terminals is translated into neurotransmitter release by Ca²⁺ binding to synaptotagmin’s tandem C2 domains, triggering the fast, synchronous fusion of multiple synaptic vesicles. Two hydrophobic residues, shown to mediate Ca²⁺-dependent membrane insertion of these C2 domains, are required for this process. Previous research suggested that one of its tandem C2 domains (C₂B) is critical for fusion, while the other domain (C₂A) plays only a facilitatory role. However, the function of the two hydrophobic residues in C₂A have not been adequately tested in vivo. Here we show that these two hydrophobic residues are absolutely required for synaptotagmin to trigger vesicle fusion. Using in vivo electrophysiological recording at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, we found that mutation of these two key C₂A hydrophobic residues almost completely abolished neurotransmitter release. Significantly, mutation of both hydrophobic residues resulted in more severe deficits than those seen in synaptotagmin null mutants. Thus, we report the most severe phenotype of a C₂A mutation to date, demonstrating that the C₂A domain is absolutely essential for synaptotagmin’s function as the electrostatic switch.

The postulated role of synaptotagmin’s C₂A domain in triggering neurotransmitter release has fluctuated wildly over the years. Early biochemical experiments suggested that the C₂A domain was essential, while the C₂B domain was superfluous. Then, functional experiments measuring neurotransmitter release in vivo following disruptions in Ca²⁺ binding suggested that C₂B was essential, while C₂A was superfluous. Subsequently, the use of more refined mutations to disrupt Ca²⁺ binding indicated that C₂A played a facilitatory role. Here we show two hydrophobic residues of the C₂A domain are absolutely required for synaptotagmin-triggered neurotransmitter release. Thus, after over twenty years of research, we now demonstrate that the C₂A domain of synaptotagmin is an essential component of the Ca²⁺ sensor for triggering synaptic transmission in vivo.

Drosophila studies support a role for a presynaptic synaptotagmin mutation in a human congenital myasthenic syndrome

During chemical transmission, the function of synaptic proteins must be coordinated to efficiently release neurotransmitter. Synaptotagmin 2, the Ca²⁺ sensor for fast, synchronized neurotransmitter release at the human neuromuscular junction, has recently been implicated in a dominantly inherited congenital myasthenic syndrome associated with a non-progressive motor neuropathy. In one family, a proline residue within the C₂B Ca²⁺-binding pocket of synaptotagmin is replaced by a leucine. The functional significance of this residue has not been investigated previously. Here we show that in silico modeling predicts disruption of the C₂B Ca²⁺-binding pocket, and we examine the in vivo effects of the homologous mutation in Drosophila. When expressed in the absence of native synaptotagmin, this mutation is lethal, demonstrating for the first time that this residue plays a critical role in synaptotagmin function. To achieve expression similar to human patients, the mutation is expressed in flies carrying one copy of the wild type synaptotagmin gene. We now show that Drosophila carrying this mutation developed neurological and behavioral manifestations similar to those of human patients and provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these deficits. Our Drosophila studies support a role for this synaptotagmin point mutation in disease etiology.

Disruption of axonal transport perturbs bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)--signaling and contributes to synaptic abnormalities in two neurodegenerative diseases

Formation of new synapses or maintenance of existing synapses requires the delivery of synaptic components from the soma to the nerve termini via axonal transport. One pathway that is important in synapse formation, maintenance and function of the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-signaling pathway. Here we show that perturbations in axonal transport directly disrupt BMP signaling, as measured by its downstream signal, phospho Mad (p-Mad). We found that components of the BMP pathway genetically interact with both kinesin-1 and dynein motor proteins. Thick vein (TKV) vesicle motility was also perturbed by reductions in kinesin-1 or dynein motors. Interestingly, dynein mutations severely disrupted p-Mad signaling while kinesin-1 mutants showed a mild reduction in p-Mad signal intensity. Similar to mutants in components of the BMP pathway, both kinesin-1 and dynein motor protein mutants also showed synaptic morphological defects. Strikingly TKV motility and p-Mad signaling were disrupted in larvae expressing two human disease proteins; expansions of glutamine repeats (polyQ77) and human amyloid precursor protein (APP) with a familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) mutation (APPswe). Consistent with axonal transport defects, larvae expressing these disease proteins showed accumulations of synaptic proteins along axons and synaptic abnormalities. Taken together our results suggest that similar to the NGF-TrkA signaling endosome, a BMP signaling endosome that directly interacts with molecular motors likely exist. Thus problems in axonal transport occurs early, perturbs BMP signaling, and likely contributes to the synaptic abnormalities observed in these two diseases.

Investigation of the juxtamembrane region of neuronal-Synaptobrevin in synaptic transmission at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction

In this study, the juxtamembrane region of the Drosophila SNARE protein neuronal-Synaptobrevin (n-Syb) was tested for its role in synaptic transmission. A transgenic approach was used to express n-Syb mutant genes. The transgenes carried engineered point mutations that alter the amino acid sequence of the conserved tryptophan residues in the juxtamembrane sequence. Such transgenes were expressed in an n-syb hypomorphic background, which produces little endogenous protein. On their own, hypomorphic flies displayed severe motor inhibition, limited life span, reduced evoked junctional potentials (EJPs), decreased synchronicity in EJP time to peak, and potentiation of EJPs with 10-Hz stimulation. All of these deficits were restored to wild-type levels with the expression of wild-type transgenic n-syb, regulated by the endogenous promoter (n-syb(WT)). We created transgenic mutants with one additional tryptophan (n-syb(WW)) or one less tryptophan (n-syb(AA)) than the wild-type sequence. While n-syb(WW) resembled n-syb(WT) in all variables listed, n-syb(AA) exhibited decreased EJP amplitude, synchronicity, and quantal content. To determine whether the n-syb juxtamembrane region is important for transduction of force arising from SNARE complex assembly during membrane fusion, we introduced short 6-amino acid (n-syb(L6)) or long 24-amino acid (n-syb(L24)) flexible linkers into the n-syb transgene. We observed a reduced EJP amplitude in n-syb(L6) but not n-syb(L24), while both linker mutants showed a decreased quantal content and an effect on the readily releasable and recycling vesicle pools. In conclusion, mutation of the juxtamembrane region of n-syb deleteriously affected synaptic transmission at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction.

Synaptic vesicle recycling: steps and principles

Synaptic vesicle recycling is one of the best-studied cellular pathways. Many of the proteins involved are known, and their interactions are becoming increasingly clear. However, as for many other pathways, it is still difficult to understand synaptic vesicle recycling as a whole. While it is generally possible to point out how synaptic reactions take place, it is not always easy to understand what triggers or controls them. Also, it is often difficult to understand how the availability of the reaction partners is controlled: how the reaction partners manage to find each other in the right place, at the right time. I present here an overview of synaptic vesicle recycling, discussing the mechanisms that trigger different reactions, and those that ensure the availability of reaction partners. A central argument is that synaptic vesicles bind soluble cofactor proteins, with low affinity, and thus control their availability in the synapse, forming a buffer for cofactor proteins. The availability of cofactor proteins, in turn, regulates the different synaptic reactions. Similar mechanisms, in which one of the reaction partners buffers another, may apply to many other processes, from the biogenesis to the degradation of the synaptic vesicle.

AP180 couples protein retrieval to clathrin-mediated endocytosis of synaptic vesicles

How clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) retrieves vesicle proteins into newly formed synaptic vesicles (SVs) remains a major puzzle. Besides its roles in stimulating clathrin-coated vesicle formation and regulating SV size, the clathrin assembly protein AP180 has been identified as a key player in retrieving SV proteins. The mechanisms by which AP180 recruits SV proteins are not fully understood. Here, we show that following acute inactivation of AP180 in Drosophila, SV recycling is severely impaired at the larval neuromuscular synapse based on analyses of FM 1-43 uptake and synaptic ultrastructure. More dramatically, AP180 activity is important to maintain the integrity of SV protein complexes at the plasma membrane during endocytosis. These observations suggest that AP180 normally clusters SV proteins together during recycling. Consistent with this notion, SV protein composition and distribution are altered in AP180 mutant flies. Finally, AP180 co-immunoprecipitates with SV proteins, including the vesicular glutamate transporter and neuronal synaptobrevin. These results reveal a new mode by which AP180 couples protein retrieval to CME of SVs. AP180 is also genetically linked to Alzheimer's disease. Hence, the findings of this study may provide new mechanistic insight into the role of AP180 dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

Trans-synaptic Teneurin signalling in neuromuscular synapse organization and target choice

Synapse assembly requires transsynaptic signals between the pre- and postsynapse¹, but the understanding of essential organizational molecules remains incomplete². Teneurins are conserved, EGF-repeat containing transmembrane proteins with large extracellular domains³. Here we show that two Drosophila Teneurins, Ten-m and Ten-a, are required for neuromuscular synapse organization and target selection. Ten-a is presynaptic while Ten-m is mostly postsynaptic; neuronal Ten-a and muscle Ten-m form a complex in vivo. Pre- or postsynaptic Teneurin perturbations cause severe synapse loss and impair many facets of organization transsynaptically and cell-autonomously. These include defects in active zone apposition, release sites, membrane and vesicle organization, and synaptic transmission. Moreover, the presynaptic microtubule and postsynaptic spectrin cytoskeletons are severely disrupted, suggesting a mechanism whereby Teneurins organize the cytoskeleton, which in turn affects other aspects of synapse development. Supporting this, Ten-m physically interacts with α-spectrin. Genetic analyses of teneurin and neuroligin reveal their differential roles that synergize to promote synapse assembly. Finally, at elevated endogenous levels, Ten-m regulates specific motoneuron-muscle target selection. Our study identifies the Teneurins as a key bi-directional transsynaptic signal in general synapse organization, and demonstrates that such a molecule can also regulate target selection.

Calcium binding by synaptotagmin's C2A domain is an essential element of the electrostatic switch that triggers synchronous synaptic transmission

Synaptotagmin is the major calcium sensor for fast synaptic transmission that requires the synchronous fusion of synaptic vesicles. Synaptotagmin contains two calcium-binding domains: C2A and C2B. Mutation of a positively charged residue (R233Q in rat) showed that Ca2+-dependent interactions between the C2A domain and membranes play a role in the electrostatic switch that initiates fusion. Surprisingly, aspartate-to-asparagine mutations in C2A that inhibit Ca2+ binding support efficient synaptic transmission, suggesting that Ca2+ binding by C2A is not required for triggering synchronous fusion. Based on a structural analysis, we generated a novel mutation of a single Ca2+-binding residue in C2A (D229E in Drosophila) that inhibited Ca2+ binding but maintained the negative charge of the pocket. This C2A aspartate-to-glutamate mutation resulted in ∼80% decrease in synchronous transmitter release and a decrease in the apparent Ca2+ affinity of release. Previous aspartate-to-asparagine mutations in C2A partially mimicked Ca2+ binding by decreasing the negative charge of the pocket. We now show that the major function of Ca2+ binding to C2A is to neutralize the negative charge of the pocket, thereby unleashing the fusion-stimulating activity of synaptotagmin. Our results demonstrate that Ca2+ binding by C2A is a critical component of the electrostatic switch that triggers synchronous fusion. Thus, Ca2+ binding by C2B is necessary and sufficient to regulate the precise timing required for coupling vesicle fusion to Ca2+ influx, but Ca2+ binding by both C2 domains is required to flip the electrostatic switch that triggers efficient synchronous synaptic transmission.

Developmental iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism impair neural development, upregulate caveolin-1, and downregulate synaptotagmin-1 in the rat cerebellum

Adequate thyroid hormone is critical for cerebellar development. Developmental hypothyroidism induced by iodine deficiency during gestation and postnatal period results in permanent impairments of cerebellar development with an unclear mechanism. In the present study, we implicate cerebellar caveolin-1 and synaptotagmin-1, the two important molecules involved in neuronal development, in developmental iodine deficiency, and in developmental hypothyroidism. Two developmental rat models were created by administrating dam rats with either iodine-deficient diet or propylthiouracil (PTU, 5 or 15 ppm)-added drinking water from gestational day 6 till postnatal day (PN) 28. Nissl staining and the levels of caveolin-1 and synaptotagmin-1 in cerebella were assessed on PN28 and PN42. The results show that the numbers of Purkinje cells were reduced in the iodine-deficient and PTU-treated rats. The upregulation of caveolin-1 and the downregulation of synaptotagmin-1 were observed in both iodine-deficient and PTU-treated rats. These findings may implicate decreases in the number of Purkinje cells and the alterations in the levels of caveolin-1 and synaptotagmin-1 in the impairments of cerebellar development induced by developmental iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism.

Membrane penetration by synaptotagmin is required for coupling calcium binding to vesicle fusion in vivo

The vesicle protein synaptotagmin I is the Ca(2+) sensor that triggers fast, synchronous release of neurotransmitter. Specifically, Ca(2+) binding by the C(2)B domain of synaptotagmin is required at intact synapses, yet the mechanism whereby Ca(2+) binding results in vesicle fusion remains controversial. Ca(2+)-dependent interactions between synaptotagmin and SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment receptor) complexes and/or anionic membranes are possible effector interactions. However, no effector-interaction mutations to date impact synaptic transmission as severely as mutation of the C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding motif, suggesting that these interactions are facilitatory rather than essential. Here we use Drosophila to show the functional role of a highly conserved, hydrophobic residue located at the tip of each of the two Ca(2+)-binding pockets of synaptotagmin. Mutation of this residue in the C(2)A domain (F286) resulted in a ∼50% decrease in evoked transmitter release at an intact synapse, again indicative of a facilitatory role. Mutation of this hydrophobic residue in the C(2)B domain (I420), on the other hand, blocked all locomotion, was embryonic lethal even in syt I heterozygotes, and resulted in less evoked transmitter release than that in syt(null) mutants, which is more severe than the phenotype of C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding mutants. Thus, mutation of a single, C(2)B hydrophobic residue required for Ca(2+)-dependent penetration of anionic membranes results in the most severe disruption of synaptotagmin function in vivo to date. Our results provide direct support for the hypothesis that plasma membrane penetration, specifically by the C(2)B domain of synaptotagmin, is the critical effector interaction for coupling Ca(2+) binding with vesicle fusion.

Molecular signaling how do axons die?

Axons depend critically on axonal transport both for supplying materials and for communicating with cell bodies. This chapter looks at each activity, asking what aspects are essential for axon survival. Axonal transport declines in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, and in normal ageing, but whether all cargoes are equally affected and what limits axon survival remains unclear. Cargoes can be differentially blocked in some disorders, either individually or in groups. Each missing protein cargo results in localized loss-of-function that can be partially modeled by disrupting the corresponding gene, sometimes with surprising results. The axonal response to losing specific proteins also depends on the rates of protein turnover and on whether the protein can be locally synthesized. Among cargoes with important axonal roles are components of the PI3 kinase, Mek/Erk, and Jnk signaling pathways, which help to communicate with cell bodies and to regulate axonal transport itself. Bidirectional trafficking of Bdnf, NT-3, and other neurotrophic factors contribute to intra- and intercellular signaling, affecting the axon's cellular environment and survival. Finally, several adhesion molecules and gangliosides are key determinants of axon survival, probably by mediating axon-glia interactions. Thus, failure of long-distance intracellular transport can deprive axons of one, few, or many cargoes. This can lead to axon degeneration either directly, through the absence of essential axonal proteins, or indirectly, through failures in communication with cell bodies and nonneuronal cells.

Signaling role of the voltage-gated calcium channel as the molecular on/off-switch of secretion

Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) are involved in a large variety of cellular Ca(2+) signaling processes, including exocytosis, a Ca(2+) dependent release of neurotransmitters and hormones. Great progress has been made in understanding the mode of action of VGCC in exocytosis, a process distinguished by two sequential yet independent Ca(2+) binding reactions. First, Ca(2+) binds at the selectivity filter, the EEEE motif of the VGCC, and second, subsequent to a brief and intense Ca(2+) inflow to synaptotagmin, a vesicular protein. Inquiry into the functional and physical interactions of the channels with synaptic proteins has demonstrated that exocytosis is triggered during the initial Ca(2+) binding at the channel pore, prior to Ca(2+) entry. Accordingly, a cycle of secretion begins by an incoming stimulus that releases vesicles from a releasable pool upon Ca(2+) binding at the pore, and at the same time, the transient increase in [Ca(2+)](i) primes a fresh set of non-releasable vesicles, to be fused by the next incoming stimulus. We propose a model, in which the Ca(2+) binding at the EEEE motif and the consequent conformational changes in the channel are the primary event in triggering secretion, while synaptotagmin acts as a vesicle docking protein. Thus, the channel serves as the molecular On/Off signaling switch, where the predominance of a conformational change in Ca(2+)-bound channel provides for the fast secretory process.

Synaptotagmin I stabilizes synaptic vesicles via its C(2)A polylysine motif

The synaptic vesicle protein, synaptotagmin I, is a multifunctional protein required for several steps in the synaptic vesicle cycle. It is primarily composed of two calcium-binding domains, C(2)A and C(2)B. Within each of these domains, a polylysine motif has been identified that is proposed to mediate specific functions within the synaptic vesicle cycle. While the C(2)B polylysine motif plays an important role in synaptic transmission in vivo, the C(2)A polylysine motif has not previously been analyzed at an intact synapse. Here, we show that mutation of the C(2)A polylysine motif increases the frequency of spontaneous transmitter release in vivo. The increased frequency is not a developmental consequence of disrupted synaptic transmission, as evoked transmitter release is unimpaired in the mutants. Our results demonstrate that synaptotagmin I plays a direct role in regulating spontaneous transmitter release, indicative of an active role in synaptic vesicle stabilization mediated by the C(2)A polylysine motif.

Ca2+-dependent, phospholipid-binding residues of synaptotagmin are critical for excitation-secretion coupling in vivo

Synaptotagmin I is the Ca(2+) sensor for fast, synchronous release of neurotransmitter; however, the molecular interactions that couple Ca(2+) binding to membrane fusion remain unclear. The structure of synaptotagmin is dominated by two C(2) domains that interact with negatively charged membranes after binding Ca(2+). In vitro work has implicated a conserved basic residue at the tip of loop 3 of the Ca(2+)-binding pocket in both C(2) domains in coordinating this electrostatic interaction with anionic membranes. Although results from cultured cells suggest that the basic residue of the C(2)A domain is functionally significant, such studies provide contradictory results regarding the importance of the C(2)B basic residue during vesicle fusion. To directly test the functional significance of each of these residues at an intact synapse in vivo, we neutralized either the C(2)A or the C(2)B basic residue and assessed synaptic transmission at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. The conserved basic residues at the tip of the Ca(2+)-binding pocket of both the C(2)A and C(2)B domains mediate Ca(2+)-dependent interactions with anionic membranes and are required for efficient evoked transmitter release. Our results directly support the hypothesis that the interactions between synaptotagmin and the presynaptic membrane, which are mediated by the basic residues at the tip of both the C(2)A and C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding pockets, are critical for coupling Ca(2+) influx with vesicle fusion during synaptic transmission in vivo. Our model for synaptotagmin's direct role in coupling Ca(2+) binding to vesicle fusion incorporates this finding with results from multiple in vitro and in vivo studies.

Mutations in a Drosophila alpha2delta voltage-gated calcium channel subunit reveal a crucial synaptic function

Voltage-dependent calcium channels regulate many aspects of neuronal biology, including synaptic transmission. In addition to their alpha1 subunit, which encodes the essential voltage gate and selective pore, calcium channels also contain auxiliary alpha2delta, beta, and gamma subunits. Despite progress in understanding the biophysical properties of calcium channels, the in vivo functions of these auxiliary subunits remain unclear. We have isolated mutations in the gene encoding an alpha2delta calcium channel subunit (d alpha2delta-3) using a forward genetic screen in Drosophila. Null mutations in this gene are embryonic lethal and can be rescued by expression in the nervous system, demonstrating that the essential function of this subunit is neuronal. The photoreceptor phenotype of d alpha2delta-3 mutants resembles that of the calcium channel alpha1 mutant cacophony (cac), suggesting shared functions. We have examined in detail genotypes that survive to the third-instar stage. Electrophysiological recordings demonstrate that synaptic transmission is severely impaired in these mutants. Thus the alpha2delta calcium channel subunit is critical for calcium-dependent synaptic function. As such, this Drosophila isoform is the likely partner to the presynaptic calcium channel alpha1 subunit encoded by the cac locus. Consistent with this hypothesis, cacGFP fluorescence at the neuromuscular junction is reduced in d alpha2delta-3 mutants. This is the first characterization of an alpha2delta-3 mutant in any organism and indicates a necessary role for alpha2delta-3 in presynaptic vesicle release and calcium channel expression at active zones.

Eps15 and Dap160 control synaptic vesicle membrane retrieval and synapse development

Epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate clone 15 (Eps15) is a protein implicated in endocytosis, endosomal protein sorting, and cytoskeletal organization. Its role is, however, still unclear, because of reasons including limitations of dominant-negative experiments and apparent redundancy with other endocytic proteins. We generated Drosophila eps15-null mutants and show that Eps15 is required for proper synaptic bouton development and normal levels of synaptic vesicle (SV) endocytosis. Consistent with a role in SV endocytosis, Eps15 moves from the center of synaptic boutons to the periphery in response to synaptic activity. The endocytic protein, Dap160/intersectin, is a major binding partner of Eps15, and eps15 mutants phenotypically resemble dap160 mutants. Analyses of eps15 dap160 double mutants suggest that Eps15 functions in concert with Dap160 during SV endocytosis. Based on these data, we hypothesize that Eps15 and Dap160 promote the efficiency of endocytosis from the plasma membrane by maintaining high concentrations of multiple endocytic proteins, including dynamin, at synapses.

Regulation of Membrane Fusion in Synaptic Excitation-Secretion Coupling: Speed and Accuracy Matter

Unlike most other secretory processes, neurotransmitter release at chemical synapses is extremely fast, tightly regulated, spatially restricted, and dynamically adjustable at the same time. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries of molecular and cell biological processes that determine how fusion competence of vesicles is achieved and controlled in order to suit the specific requirements of synaptic transmitter release with respect to speed and spatial selectivity.

Nerve-evoked synchronous release and high K+ -induced quantal events are regulated separately by synaptotagmin I at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions

The distal Ca(2+)-binding domain of synaptotagmin I (Syt I), C2B, has two Ca(2+)-binding sites. To study their function in Drosophila, pairs of aspartates were mutated to asparagines and the mutated syt I was expressed in the syt I-null background (P[syt I(B-D1,2N)] and P[syt I(B-D3,4N)]). We examined the effects of these mutations on nerve-evoked synchronous synaptic transmission and high K(+)-induced quantal events at embryonic neuromuscular junctions. The P[syt I(B-D1,2N)] mutation virtually abolished synaptic transmission, whereas the P[syt I(B-D3,4N)] mutation strongly reduced but did not abolish it. The quantal content in P[syt I(B-D3,4N)] increased with the external Ca(2+) concentration, [Ca(2+)](e), with a slope of 1.86 in double-logarithmic plot, whereas that of control was 2.88. In high K(+) solutions the quantal event frequency in P[syt I(B-D3,4N)] increased progressively with [Ca(2+)](e) between 0 and 0.15 mM as in control. In contrast, in P[syt I(B-D1,2N)] the event frequency did not increase progressively between 0 and 0.15 mM and was significantly lower at 0.15 than at 0.05 mM [Ca(2+)](e). The P[syt I(B-D1,2N)] mutation inhibits high K(+)-induced quantal release in a narrow range of [Ca(2+)](e) (negative regulatory function). When Sr(2+) substituted for Ca(2+), nerve-evoked synchronous synaptic transmission was severely depressed and delayed asynchronous release was appreciably increased in control embryos. In high K(+) solutions with Sr(2+), the quantal event frequency was higher than that in Ca(2+) and increased progressively with [Sr(2+)](e) in control and in both mutants. Sr(2+) partially substitutes for Ca(2+) in synchronous release but does not support the negative regulatory function of Syt I.

Drosophila synaptotagmin Inull mutants show severe alterations in vesicle populations but calcium-binding motif mutants do not

Synaptotagmin I is a synaptic vesicle protein postulated to mediate vesicle docking, vesicle recycling, and the Ca(2+) sensing required to trigger vesicle fusion. Analysis of synaptotagmin I knockouts (sytI(NULL) mutants) in both Drosophila and mice led to these hypotheses. Although much research on the mechanisms of synaptic transmission in Drosophila is performed at the third instar neuromuscular junction, the ultrastructure of this synapse has never been analyzed in sytI(NULL) mutants. Here we report severe synaptic vesicle depletion, an accumulation of large vesicles, and decreased vesicle docking at sytI(NULL) third instar neuromuscular junctions. Mutations in synaptotagmin I's C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding motif nearly abolish synaptic transmission and decrease the apparent Ca(2+) affinity of neurotransmitter release. Although this result is consistent with disruption of the Ca(2+) sensor, synaptic vesicle depletion and/or redistribution away from the site of Ca(2+) influx could produce a similar phenotype. To address this question, we examined vesicle distributions at neuromuscular junctions from third instar C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding motif mutants and transgenic wild-type controls. The number of docked vesicles and the overall number of synaptic vesicles in the vicinity of active zones was unchanged in the mutants. We conclude that the near elimination of synaptic transmission and the decrease in the Ca(2+) affinity of release observed in C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding motif mutants is not due to altered synaptic vesicle distribution but rather is a direct result of disrupting synaptotagmin I's ability to bind Ca(2+). Thus, Ca(2+) binding by the C(2)B domain mediates a post-docking step in fusion.

A slowed classical pathway rather than kiss-and-run mediates endocytosis at synapses lacking synaptojanin and endophilin

The extent to which a "kiss-and-run" mode of endocytosis contributes to synaptic-vesicle recycling remains controversial. The only genetic evidence for kiss-and-run at the synapse comes from mutations in the genes encoding synaptojanin and endophilin, proteins that together function to uncoat vesicles in classical clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Here we have characterized the endocytosis that persists in null alleles of Drosophila synaptojanin and endophilin. In response to high-frequency stimulation, the synaptic-vesicle pool can be reversibly depleted in these mutants. Recovery from this depletion is slow and indicates the persistence of an impaired form of classical endocytosis. Steady-state exocytosis rates reveal that endocytosis saturates in mutant neuromuscular terminals at approximately 80 vesicles/s, 10%-20% of the wild-type rate. Analyses of quantal size, FM1-43 loading, and dynamin function further demonstrate that, even in the absence of synaptojanin or endophilin, vesicles undergo full fusion and re-formation. Therefore, no genetic evidence remains to indicate that synaptic vesicles undergo kiss-and-run.

Synaptotagmin I is necessary for compensatory synaptic vesicle endocytosis in vivo

Neurotransmission requires a balance of synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis. Synaptotagmin I (Syt I) is widely regarded as the primary calcium sensor for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Previous biochemical data suggest that Syt I may also function during synaptic vesicle endocytosis; however, ultrastructural analyses at synapses with impaired Syt I function have provided an indirect and conflicting view of the role of Syt I during synaptic vesicle endocytosis. Until now it has not been possible experimentally to separate the exocytic and endocytic functions of Syt I in vivo. Here, we test directly the role of Syt I during endocytosis in vivo. We use quantitative live imaging of a pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein fused to a synaptic vesicle protein (synapto-pHluorin) to measure the kinetics of endocytosis in sytI-null Drosophila. We then combine live imaging of the synapto-pHluorins with photoinactivation of Syt I, through fluorescein-assisted light inactivation, after normal Syt I-mediated vesicle exocytosis. By inactivating Syt I only during endocytosis, we demonstrate that Syt I is necessary for the endocytosis of synaptic vesicles that have undergone exocytosis using a functional Syt I protein.

Role of Drosophila Rab5 during endosomal trafficking at the synapse and evoked neurotransmitter release

During constitutive endocytosis, internalized membrane traffics through endosomal compartments. At synapses, endocytosis of vesicular membrane is temporally coupled to action potential-induced exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Endocytosed membrane may immediately be reused for a new round of neurotransmitter release without trafficking through an endosomal compartment. Using GFP-tagged endosomal markers, we monitored an endosomal compartment in Drosophila neuromuscular synapses. We showed that in conditions in which the synaptic vesicles pool is depleted, the endosome is also drastically reduced and only recovers from membrane derived by dynamin-mediated endocytosis. This suggests that membrane exchange takes place between the vesicle pool and the synaptic endosome. We demonstrate that the small GTPase Rab5 is required for endosome integrity in the presynaptic terminal. Impaired Rab5 function affects endo- and exocytosis rates and decreases the evoked neurotransmitter release probability. Conversely, Rab5 overexpression increases the release efficacy. Therefore, the Rab5-dependent trafficking pathway plays an important role for synaptic performance.

Effects of 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one on synaptic vesicle cycling at the frog neuromuscular junction

Inositol phospholipids are thought to play an important regulatory role in synaptic membrane traffic. We investigated the effects of perturbing 3-phosphoinositide metabolism on neurotransmission at the frog neuromuscular junction. We used the reversible phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one [LY294002 (LY)] and we examined its effects by intracellular recording, fluorescence imaging with styryl dyes (FM 1-43 and FM 2-10), calcium imaging, and electron microscopy. LY treatment reversibly inhibited vesicle cycling; electron micrographs indicated a dramatic reduction in the number of vesicles, balanced by the appearance of numerous cisternas. LY wash-off reverted the phenotype; terminals were refilled with vesicles, and they resumed normal FM 1-43 uptake and release. Surprisingly, LY treatment also enhanced the frequency of spontaneous release up to 100-fold in a calcium-independent manner. LY evoked similar effects in normal frog Ringer's solution, Ca-free Ringer's solution, and BAPTA AM-pretreated preparations; imaging of nerve terminals loaded with the calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye fluo-3 showed no significant change in fluorescence intensity during LY treatment. FM 1-43 imaging data suggested that LY evoked the cycling of 70-90% of all vesicles. The LY-induced effect on spontaneous release was reproduced by the casein kinase 2 inhibitor 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole riboside but not, however, by the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin. Because LY has been shown recently to potently inhibit casein kinase 2 as well as PI3K, we hypothesize that casein kinase 2 inhibition is responsible for the enhancement of spontaneous release, whereas PI3K inhibition induces the block of vesicle cycling.

Drosophila NAB (dNAB) is an orphan transcriptional co-repressor required for correct CNS and eye development

The mammalian NAB proteins have been identified previously as potent co-repressors of the EGR family of zinc finger transcription factors. Drosophila NAB (dNAB), like its mammalian counterparts, binds EGR1 and represses EGR1-mediated transcriptional activation from a synthetic promoter. In contrast, dNAB does not bind the Drosophila EGR-related protein klumpfuss. dnab RNA is expressed exclusively in a subset of neuroblasts in the embryonic and larval central nervous system (CNS), as well as in several larval imaginal disc tissues. Here, we describe the creation of targeted deletion mutations in the dnab gene and the identification of additional, EMS-induced dnab mutations by genetic complementation analysis. Null alleles in dnab cause larval locomotion defects and early larval lethality (L1-L2). A putative hypomorphic allele in dnab instead causes early adult lethality due to severe locomotion defects. In the dnab -/- CNS, axon outgrowth/guidance and glial development appear normal; however, a subset of eve+ neurons forms in reduced numbers. In addition, mosaic analysis in the eye reveals that dnab -/- clones are either very small or absent. Similarly, dNAB overexpression in the eye causes eyes to be very small with few ommatidia. These dramatic eye-specific phenotypes will prove useful for enhancer/suppressor screens to identify dnab-interacting genes.

The C(2)B Ca(2+)-binding motif of synaptotagmin is required for synaptic transmission in vivo

Synaptotagmin is a synaptic vesicle protein that is postulated to be the Ca(2+) sensor for fast, evoked neurotransmitter release. Deleting the gene for synaptotagmin (syt(null)) strongly suppresses synaptic transmission in every species examined, showing that synaptotagmin is central in the synaptic vesicle cycle. The cytoplasmic region of synaptotagmin contains two C(2) domains, C(2)A and C(2)B. Five, highly conserved, acidic residues in both the C(2)A and C(2)B domains of synaptotagmin coordinate the binding of Ca(2+) ions, and biochemical studies have characterized several in vitro Ca(2+)-dependent interactions between synaptotagmin and other nerve terminal molecules. But there has been no direct evidence that any of the Ca(2+)-binding sites within synaptotagmin are required in vivo. Here we show that mutating two of the Ca(2+)-binding aspartate residues in the C(2)B domain (D(416,418)N in Drosophila) decreased evoked transmitter release by >95%, and decreased the apparent Ca(2+) affinity of evoked transmitter release. These studies show that the Ca(2+)-binding motif of the C(2)B domain of synaptotagmin is essential for synaptic transmission.

Synaptotagmins I and IV promote transmitter release independently of Ca(2+) binding in the C(2)A domain

At nerve terminals, a focal and transient increase in intracellular Ca(2+) triggers the fusion of neurotransmitter-filled vesicles with the plasma membrane. The most extensively studied candidate for the Ca(2+)-sensing trigger is synaptotagmin I, whose Ca(2+)-dependent interactions with acidic phospholipids and syntaxin have largely been ascribed to its C(2)A domain, although the C(2)B domain also binds Ca(2+) (refs 7, 8). Genetic tests of synaptotagmin I have been equivocal as to whether it is the Ca(2+)-sensing trigger of fusion. Synaptotagmin IV, a related isoform that does not bind Ca(2+) in the C(2)A domain, might be an inhibitor of release. We mutated an essential aspartate of the Ca(2+)-binding site of the synaptotagmin I C(2)A domain and expressed it in Drosophila lacking synaptotagmin I. Here we show that, despite the disruption of the binding site, the Ca(2+)-dependent properties of transmission were not altered. Similarly, we found that synaptotagmin IV could substitute for synaptotagmin I. We conclude that the C(2)A domain of synaptotagmin is not required for Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic transmission, and that synaptotagmin IV promotes rather than inhibits transmission.

Endophilin mutations block clathrin-mediated endocytosis but not neurotransmitter release

We have identified mutations in Drosophila endophilin to study its function in vivo. Endophilin is required presynaptically at the neuromuscular junction, and absence of Endophilin dramatically impairs endocytosis in vivo. Mutant larvae that lack Endophilin fail to take up FM1-43 dye in synaptic boutons, indicating an inability to retrieve synaptic membrane. This defect is accompanied by an expansion of the presynaptic membrane, and a depletion of vesicles from the bouton lumen. Interestingly, mutant larvae are still able to sustain release at 15%-20% of the normal rate during high-frequency stimulation. We propose that kiss-and-run maintains neurotransmission at active zones of the larval NMJ in endophilin animals.