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Maiole F, Tedeschi G, Candiani S, Maragliano L, Benfenati F, Zullo L. Synapsins are expressed at neuronal and non-neuronal locations in Octopus vulgaris. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15430. [PMID: 31659209 PMCID: PMC6817820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51899-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapsins are a family of phosphoproteins fundamental to the regulation of neurotransmitter release. They are typically neuron-specific, although recent evidence pointed to their expression in non-neuronal cells where they play a role in exocytosis and vesicle trafficking. In this work, we characterized synapsin transcripts in the invertebrate mollusk Octopus vulgaris and present evidence of their expression not only in the brain but also in male and female reproductive organs. We identified three synapsin isoforms phylogenetically correlated to that of other invertebrates and with a modular structure characteristic of mammalian synapsins with a central, highly conserved C domain, important for the protein functions, and less conserved A, B and E domains. Our molecular modeling analysis further provided a solid background for predicting synapsin functional binding to ATP, actin filaments and secretory vesicles. Interestingly, we found that synapsin expression in ovary and testis increased during sexual maturation in cells with a known secretory role, potentially matching the occurrence of a secretion process. This might indicate that its secretory role has evolved across animals according to cell activity in spite of cell identity. We believe that this study may yield insights into the convergent evolution of ubiquitously expressed proteins between vertebrates and invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Maiole
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Giulia Tedeschi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics, University of California, Irvine, 92697, CA, USA
| | - Simona Candiani
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Luca Maragliano
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.,IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.,IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Letizia Zullo
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy. .,IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy.
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Janmey PA, Slochower DR, Wang YH, Wen Q, Cēbers A. Polyelectrolyte properties of filamentous biopolymers and their consequences in biological fluids. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:1439-49. [PMID: 24651463 PMCID: PMC4009494 DOI: 10.1039/c3sm50854d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Anionic polyelectrolyte filaments are common in biological cells. DNA, RNA, the cytoskeletal filaments F-actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments, and polysaccharides such as hyaluronan that form the pericellular matrix all have large net negative charge densities distributed over their surfaces. Several filamentous viruses with diameters and stiffnesses similar to those of cytoskeletal polymers also have similar negative charge densities. Extracellular protein filaments such collagen, fibrin and elastin, in contrast, have notably smaller charge densities and do not behave as highly charged polyelectrolytes in solution. This review summarizes data that demonstrate generic counterion-mediated effects on four structurally unrelated biopolymers of similar charge density: F-actin, vimentin, Pf1 virus, and DNA, and explores the possible biological and pathophysiological consequences of the polyelectrolyte properties of biological filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Janmey
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 1010 Vagelos Laboratories, 3340 Smith Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Giannandrea M, Guarnieri FC, Gehring NH, Monzani E, Benfenati F, Kulozik AE, Valtorta F. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and loss-of-function of the protein underlie the X-linked epilepsy associated with the W356× mutation in synapsin I. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67724. [PMID: 23818987 PMCID: PMC3688603 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapsins are a family of neuronal phosphoproteins associated with the cytosolic surface of synaptic vesicles. Experimental evidence suggests a role for synapsins in synaptic vesicle clustering and recycling at the presynaptic terminal, as well as in neuronal development and synaptogenesis. Synapsin knock-out (Syn1(-/-) ) mice display an epileptic phenotype and mutations in the SYN1 gene have been identified in individuals affected by epilepsy and/or autism spectrum disorder. We investigated the impact of the c.1067G>A nonsense transition, the first mutation described in a family affected by X-linked syndromic epilepsy, on the expression and functional properties of the synapsin I protein. We found that the presence of a premature termination codon in the human SYN1 transcript renders it susceptible to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Given that the NMD efficiency is highly variable among individuals and cell types, we investigated also the effects of expression of the mutant protein and found that it is expressed at lower levels compared to wild-type synapsin I, forms perinuclear aggregates and is unable to reach presynaptic terminals in mature hippocampal neurons grown in culture. Taken together, these data indicate that in patients carrying the W356× mutation the function of synapsin I is markedly impaired, due to both the strongly decreased translation and the altered function of the NMD-escaped protein, and support the value of Syn1(-/-) mice as an experimental model mimicking the human pathology.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Blotting, Northern
- Cells, Cultured
- Codon, Nonsense
- Epilepsy/genetics
- Epilepsy/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/genetics
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/metabolism
- HeLa Cells
- Hippocampus/cytology
- Hippocampus/metabolism
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Microscopy, Fluorescence
- Microtubule-Associated Proteins/metabolism
- Neurons/metabolism
- Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Synapsins/genetics
- Synapsins/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Maila Giannandrea
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizia C. Guarnieri
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Elena Monzani
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, The Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andreas E. Kulozik
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg Medical Center and Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, EMBL and University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Flavia Valtorta
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy
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Cruceanu C, Alda M, Grof P, Rouleau GA, Turecki G. Synapsin II is involved in the molecular pathway of lithium treatment in bipolar disorder. PLoS One 2012; 7:e32680. [PMID: 22384280 PMCID: PMC3286475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Accepted: 01/28/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition with a prevalence of 1–2% in the general population that is characterized by severe episodic shifts in mood ranging from depressive to manic episodes. One of the most common treatments is lithium (Li), with successful response in 30–60% of patients. Synapsin II (SYN2) is a neuronal phosphoprotein that we have previously identified as a possible candidate gene for the etiology of BD and/or response to Li treatment in a genome-wide linkage study focusing on BD patients characterized for excellent response to Li prophylaxis. In the present study we investigated the role of this gene in BD, particularly as it pertains to Li treatment. We investigated the effect of lithium treatment on the expression of SYN2 in lymphoblastoid cell lines from patients characterized as excellent Li-responders, non-responders, as well as non-psychiatric controls. Finally, we sought to determine if Li has a cell-type-specific effect on gene expression in neuronal-derived cell lines. In both in vitro models, we found SYN2 to be modulated by the presence of Li. By focusing on Li-responsive BD we have identified a potential mechanism for Li response in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Cruceanu
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martin Alda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Paul Grof
- Mood Disorders Centre of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Centre of Excellence in Neuromics, CHUM Research Center and the Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Hilfiker S, Benfenati F, Doussau F, Nairn AC, Czernik AJ, Augustine GJ, Greengard P. Structural domains involved in the regulation of transmitter release by synapsins. J Neurosci 2006; 25:2658-69. [PMID: 15758176 PMCID: PMC6725186 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4278-04.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapsins are a family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins that regulate neurotransmitter release by associating with synaptic vesicles. Synapsins consist of a series of conserved and variable structural domains of unknown function. We performed a systematic structure-function analysis of the various domains of synapsin by assessing the actions of synapsin fragments on neurotransmitter release, presynaptic ultrastructure, and the biochemical interactions of synapsin. Injecting a peptide derived from domain A into the squid giant presynaptic terminal inhibited neurotransmitter release in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. This peptide had no effect on vesicle pool size, synaptic depression, or transmitter release kinetics. In contrast, a peptide fragment from domain C reduced the number of synaptic vesicles in the periphery of the active zone and increased the rate and extent of synaptic depression. This peptide also slowed the kinetics of neurotransmitter release without affecting the number of docked vesicles. The domain C peptide, as well as another peptide from domain E that is known to have identical effects on vesicle pool size and release kinetics, both specifically interfered with the binding of synapsins to actin but not with the binding of synapsins to synaptic vesicles. This suggests that both peptides interfere with release by preventing interactions of synapsins with actin. Thus, interactions of domains C and E with the actin cytoskeleton may allow synapsins to perform two roles in regulating release, whereas domain A has an actin-independent function that regulates transmitter release in a phosphorylation-sensitive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Hilfiker
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
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Holstein GR, Martinelli GP, Nicolae RA, Rosenthal TM, Friedrich VL. Synapsin-like immunoreactivity is present in hair cells and efferent terminals of the toadfish crista ampullaris. Exp Brain Res 2004; 162:287-92. [PMID: 15599720 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-004-2194-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2004] [Accepted: 11/09/2004] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The synapsins are presynaptic membrane-associated proteins involved in neurotransmitter release. They are differentially expressed in tissues and cells of the central and peripheral nervous system. In vestibular end organs of mammals, synapsin I-like immunoreactivity has been reported in efferent and afferent terminals and in afferent nerve calyces surrounding type I hair cells. In addition, synapsin I has recently been described in several non-neural cell lines. The present study was conducted to locate synapsin-like immunoreactivity in the neuronal and non-neuronal cells of the fish crista ampullaris, to examine the possibility that the non-neuronal sensory receptor cells express synapsins in vivo. Synapsin-like immunostaining was visualized by immunofluorescence detection in wholemounts of the toadfish crista ampullaris using multiphoton laser scanning microscopy and by electron microscopic visualization of post-embedding immunogold labeling. The results demonstrate that synapsin-like immunoreactivity is present in vestibular hair cells and efferent boutons of the toadfish crista ampullaris. Afferent endings are not labeled. Staining in hair cells is not associated with the synaptic ribbons, suggesting that there is an additional, non-synaptic role for the synapsins in some non-neuronal cells of vertebrates. Moreover, while the cristae of amniote and anamniote species share many functional attributes, differences in their synaptic vesicle-associated protein profiles appear to reflect their disparate hair cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- G R Holstein
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1140, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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