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Berry JA, Guhle DC, Davis RL. Active forgetting and neuropsychiatric diseases. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02521-9. [PMID: 38532011 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02521-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Recent and pioneering animal research has revealed the brain utilizes a variety of molecular, cellular, and network-level mechanisms used to forget memories in a process referred to as "active forgetting". Active forgetting increases behavioral flexibility and removes irrelevant information. Individuals with impaired active forgetting mechanisms can experience intrusive memories, distressing thoughts, and unwanted impulses that occur in neuropsychiatric diseases. The current evidence indicates that active forgetting mechanisms degrade, or mask, molecular and cellular memory traces created in synaptic connections of "engram cells" that are specific for a given memory. Combined molecular genetic/behavioral studies using Drosophila have uncovered a complex system of cellular active-forgetting pathways within engram cells that is regulated by dopamine neurons and involves dopamine-nitric oxide co-transmission and reception, endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ signaling, and cytoskeletal remodeling machinery regulated by small GTPases. Some of these molecular cellular mechanisms have already been found to be conserved in mammals. Interestingly, some pathways independently regulate forgetting of distinct memory types and temporal phases, suggesting a multi-layering organization of forgetting systems. In mammals, active forgetting also involves modulation of memory trace synaptic strength by altering AMPA receptor trafficking. Furthermore, active-forgetting employs network level mechanisms wherein non-engram neurons, newly born-engram neurons, and glial cells regulate engram synapses in a state and experience dependent manner. Remarkably, there is evidence for potential coordination between the network and cellular level forgetting mechanisms. Finally, subjects with several neuropsychiatric diseases have been tested and shown to be impaired in active forgetting. Insights obtained from research on active forgetting in animal models will continue to enrich our understanding of the brain dysfunctions that occur in neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Berry
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL, T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Dana C Guhle
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AL, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Ronald L Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.
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2
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Sauvola CW, Littleton JT. SNARE Regulatory Proteins in Synaptic Vesicle Fusion and Recycling. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:733138. [PMID: 34421538 PMCID: PMC8377282 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.733138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a universal feature of eukaryotic protein trafficking and is mediated by the soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) family. SNARE proteins embedded in opposing membranes spontaneously assemble to drive membrane fusion and cargo exchange in vitro. Evolution has generated a diverse complement of SNARE regulatory proteins (SRPs) that ensure membrane fusion occurs at the right time and place in vivo. While a core set of SNAREs and SRPs are common to all eukaryotic cells, a specialized set of SRPs within neurons confer additional regulation to synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion. Neuronal communication is characterized by precise spatial and temporal control of SNARE dynamics within presynaptic subdomains specialized for neurotransmitter release. Action potential-elicited Ca2+ influx at these release sites triggers zippering of SNAREs embedded in the SV and plasma membrane to drive bilayer fusion and release of neurotransmitters that activate downstream targets. Here we discuss current models for how SRPs regulate SNARE dynamics and presynaptic output, emphasizing invertebrate genetic findings that advanced our understanding of SRP regulation of SV cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad W Sauvola
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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3
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Keith SA, Bishop C, Fallacaro S, McCartney BM. Arc1 and the microbiota together modulate growth and metabolic traits in Drosophila. Development 2021; 148:271091. [PMID: 34323271 DOI: 10.1242/dev.195222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Perturbations to animal-associated microbial communities (the microbiota) have deleterious effects on various aspects of host fitness, but the molecular processes underlying these impacts are poorly understood. Here, we identify a connection between the microbiota and the neuronal factor Arc1 that affects growth and metabolism in Drosophila. We find that Arc1 exhibits tissue-specific microbiota-dependent expression changes, and that germ-free flies bearing a null mutation of Arc1 exhibit delayed and stunted larval growth, along with a variety of molecular, cellular and organismal traits indicative of metabolic dysregulation. Remarkably, we show that the majority of these phenotypes can be fully suppressed by mono-association with a single Acetobacter sp. isolate, through mechanisms involving both bacterial diet modification and live bacteria. Additionally, we provide evidence that Arc1 function in key neuroendocrine cells of the larval brain modulates growth and metabolic homeostasis under germ-free conditions. Our results reveal a role for Arc1 in modulating physiological responses to the microbial environment, and highlight how host-microbe interactions can profoundly impact the phenotypic consequences of genetic mutations in an animal host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Keith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Cassandra Bishop
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Samantha Fallacaro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Brooke M McCartney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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4
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Association between GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism and febrile seizures: a meta-analysis. ACTA EPILEPTOLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s42494-021-00038-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Emerging evidence has implied that the GABRG2 gene play a role in the mechanism of febrile seizure (FS), however, the relationship between GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism and the risk of FS remains controversial. This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship of GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism with the susceptibility to FS.
Methods
MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and CNKI databases were searched (until April 6, 2019) for eligible studies on the relationship between GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism and FS. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) by a fixed or random model with the STATA 15.0 software. Subgroup analyses for the ethnicity, the source of the control, and age and sex matching of controls were conducted.
Results
A total of 8 studies consisting of 775 FS patients and 5162 controls were included in this study. Based on the overall data, he GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism was not significantly associated with the risk of FS (TT + CT vs CC: OR = 0.95, 95%CI 0.64–1.41, P = 0.80). Notably, the GABRG2 rs211037 variant was significantly associated with decreased risk of FS in Asian populations (TT vs CT + CC: OR = 0.63, 95%CI 0.45–0.88, P = 0.006), but increased risk in Caucasian populations (CT vs CC: OR = 1.56, 95%CI 1.14–2.15, P = 0.006). Significant associations were also detected when healthy controls out of the whole controls were employed for comparison (TT vs CT + CC: OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.45–0.77, P < 0.001) and when data from studies with age- and sex-matched controls were used (TT + CT vs CC: OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.43–0.86, P = 0.001).
Conclusion
The GABRG2 rs211037 polymorphism may decrease the risk of FS in Asian populations, while increasing the risk in Caucasian populations. Further well-designed studies with large sample sizes are essential to verify the conclusions in other ethnicities.
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5
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Function of Drosophila Synaptotagmins in membrane trafficking at synapses. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4335-4364. [PMID: 33619613 PMCID: PMC8164606 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03788-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
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.
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6
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Aponte-Santiago NA, Littleton JT. Synaptic Properties and Plasticity Mechanisms of Invertebrate Tonic and Phasic Neurons. Front Physiol 2020; 11:611982. [PMID: 33391026 PMCID: PMC7772194 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.611982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining neuronal cell types and their associated biophysical and synaptic diversity has become an important goal in neuroscience as a mechanism to create comprehensive brain cell atlases in the post-genomic age. Beyond broad classification such as neurotransmitter expression, interneuron vs. pyramidal, sensory or motor, the field is still in the early stages of understanding closely related cell types. In both vertebrate and invertebrate nervous systems, one well-described distinction related to firing characteristics and synaptic release properties are tonic and phasic neuronal subtypes. In vertebrates, these classes were defined based on sustained firing responses during stimulation (tonic) vs. transient responses that rapidly adapt (phasic). In crustaceans, the distinction expanded to include synaptic release properties, with tonic motoneurons displaying sustained firing and weaker synapses that undergo short-term facilitation to maintain muscle contraction and posture. In contrast, phasic motoneurons with stronger synapses showed rapid depression and were recruited for short bursts during fast locomotion. Tonic and phasic motoneurons with similarities to those in crustaceans have been characterized in Drosophila, allowing the genetic toolkit associated with this model to be used for dissecting the unique properties and plasticity mechanisms for these neuronal subtypes. This review outlines general properties of invertebrate tonic and phasic motoneurons and highlights recent advances that characterize distinct synaptic and plasticity pathways associated with two closely related glutamatergic neuronal cell types that drive invertebrate locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - J. Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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7
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Aponte-Santiago NA, Ormerod KG, Akbergenova Y, Littleton JT. Synaptic Plasticity Induced by Differential Manipulation of Tonic and Phasic Motoneurons in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6270-6288. [PMID: 32631939 PMCID: PMC7424871 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional plasticity induced by neuronal competition is a common feature of developing nervous systems. However, the rules governing how postsynaptic cells differentiate between presynaptic inputs are unclear. In this study, we characterized synaptic interactions following manipulations of tonic Ib or phasic Is glutamatergic motoneurons that coinnervate postsynaptic muscles of male or female Drosophila melanogaster larvae. After identifying drivers for each neuronal subtype, we performed ablation or genetic manipulations to alter neuronal activity and examined the effects on synaptic innervation and function at neuromuscular junctions. Ablation of either Ib or Is resulted in decreased muscle response, with some functional compensation occurring in the Ib input when Is was missing. In contrast, the Is terminal failed to show functional or structural changes following loss of the coinnervating Ib input. Decreasing the activity of the Ib or Is neuron with tetanus toxin light chain resulted in structural changes in muscle innervation. Decreased Ib activity resulted in reduced active zone (AZ) number and decreased postsynaptic subsynaptic reticulum volume, with the emergence of filopodial-like protrusions from synaptic boutons of the Ib input. Decreased Is activity did not induce structural changes at its own synapses, but the coinnervating Ib motoneuron increased the number of synaptic boutons and AZs it formed. These findings indicate that tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons respond independently to changes in activity, with either functional or structural alterations in the Ib neuron occurring following ablation or reduced activity of the coinnervating Is input, respectively.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Both invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems display synaptic plasticity in response to behavioral experiences, indicating that underlying mechanisms emerged early in evolution. How specific neuronal classes innervating the same postsynaptic target display distinct types of plasticity is unclear. Here, we examined whether Drosophila tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons display competitive or cooperative interactions during innervation of the same muscle, or compensatory changes when the output of one motoneuron is altered. We established a system to differentially manipulate the motoneurons and examined the effects of cell type-specific changes to one of the inputs. Our findings indicate Ib and Is motoneurons respond differently to activity mismatch or loss of the coinnervating input, with the Ib subclass responding robustly compared with Is motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Kiel G Ormerod
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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8
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Guan Z, Quiñones-Frías MC, Akbergenova Y, Littleton JT. Drosophila Synaptotagmin 7 negatively regulates synaptic vesicle release and replenishment in a dosage-dependent manner. eLife 2020; 9:e55443. [PMID: 32343229 PMCID: PMC7224696 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Guan
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Monica C Quiñones-Frías
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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9
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Xu C, Li Q, Efimova O, Jiang X, Petrova M, K Vinarskaya A, Kolosov P, Aseyev N, Koshkareva K, Ierusalimsky VN, Balaban PM, Khaitovich P. Identification of Immediate Early Genes in the Nervous System of Snail Helix lucorum. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0416-18.2019. [PMID: 31053606 PMCID: PMC6584072 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0416-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immediate early genes (IEGs) are useful markers of neuronal activation and essential components of neuronal response. While studies of gastropods have provided many insights into the basic learning and memory mechanisms, the genome-wide assessment of IEGs has been mainly restricted to vertebrates. In this study, we identified IEGs in the terrestrial snail Helix lucorum In the absence of the genome, we conducted de novo transcriptome assembly using reads with short and intermediate lengths cumulatively covering more than 98 billion nucleotides. Based on this assembly, we identified 37 proteins corresponding to contigs differentially expressed (DE) in either the parietal ganglia (PaG) or two giant interneurons located within the PaG of the snail in response to the neuronal stimulation. These proteins included homologues of well-known mammalian IEGs, such as c-jun/jund, C/EBP, c-fos/fosl2, and Egr1, as well as homologues of genes not yet implicated in the neuronal response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Max Planck Gesellschaft Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Qian Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Max Planck Gesellschaft Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Olga Efimova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | - Xi Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Max Planck Gesellschaft Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Marina Petrova
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Max Planck Gesellschaft Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Alia K Vinarskaya
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow 117485, Russia
| | - Peter Kolosov
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow 117485, Russia
| | - Nikolay Aseyev
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow 117485, Russia
| | - Kira Koshkareva
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | | | - Pavel M Balaban
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Moscow 117485, Russia
| | - Philipp Khaitovich
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
- Comparative Biology Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Max Planck Gesellschaft Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 200031, China
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10
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Weiss S, Melom JE, Ormerod KG, Zhang YV, Littleton JT. Glial Ca 2+signaling links endocytosis to K + buffering around neuronal somas to regulate excitability. eLife 2019; 8:44186. [PMID: 31025939 PMCID: PMC6510531 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial-neuronal signaling at synapses is widely studied, but how glia interact with neuronal somas to regulate their activity is unclear. Drosophila cortex glia are restricted to brain regions devoid of synapses, providing an opportunity to characterize interactions with neuronal somas. Mutations in the cortex glial NCKXzydeco elevate basal Ca2+, predisposing animals to seizure-like behavior. To determine how cortex glial Ca2+ signaling controls neuronal excitability, we performed an in vivo modifier screen of the NCKXzydeco seizure phenotype. We show that elevation of glial Ca2+ causes hyperactivation of calcineurin-dependent endocytosis and accumulation of early endosomes. Knockdown of sandman, a K2P channel, recapitulates NCKXzydeco seizures. Indeed, sandman expression on cortex glial membranes is substantially reduced in NCKXzydeco mutants, indicating enhanced internalization of sandman predisposes animals to seizures. These data provide an unexpected link between glial Ca2+ signaling and the well-known role of glia in K+ buffering as a key mechanism for regulating neuronal excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Weiss
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jan E Melom
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Kiel G Ormerod
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Yao V Zhang
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - J Troy Littleton
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
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11
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Immediate-Early Promoter-Driven Transgenic Reporter System for Neuroethological Research in a Hemimetabolous Insect. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-MNT-0061-18. [PMID: 30225346 PMCID: PMC6140108 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0061-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes expressed in response to increased neuronal activity are widely used as activity markers in recent behavioral neuroscience. In the present study, we established transgenic reporter system for whole-brain activity mapping in the two-spotted cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a hemimetabolous insect used in neuroethology and behavioral ecology. In the cricket brain, a homolog of early growth response-1 (Gryllus egr-B) was rapidly induced as an immediate-early gene (IEG) in response to neuronal hyperexcitability. The upstream genomic fragment of Gryllus egr-B contains potential binding sites for transcription factors regulated by various intracellular signaling pathways, as well as core promoter elements conserved across insect/crustacean egr-B homologs. Using the upstream genomic fragment of Gryllus egr-B, we established an IEG promoter-driven transgenic reporter system in the cricket. In the brain of transgenic crickets, the reporter gene (a nuclear-targeted destabilized EYFP) was induced in response to neuronal hyperexcitability. Inducible expression of reporter protein was detected in almost all neurons after neuronal hyperexcitability. Using our novel reporter system, we successfully detected neuronal activation evoked by feeding in the cricket brain. Our IEG promoter-driven activity reporting system allows us to visualize behaviorally relevant neural circuits at cellular resolution in the cricket brain.
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12
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Adhikari P, Orozco D, Randhawa H, Wolf FW. Mef2 induction of the immediate early gene Hr38/Nr4a is terminated by Sirt1 to promote ethanol tolerance. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12486. [PMID: 29726098 PMCID: PMC6215524 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug naïve animals given a single dose of ethanol show changed responses to subsequent doses, including the development of ethanol tolerance and ethanol preference. These simple forms of behavioral plasticity are due in part to changes in gene expression and neuronal properties. Surprisingly little is known about how ethanol initiates changes in gene expression or what the changes do. Here we demonstrate a role in ethanol plasticity for Hr38, the sole Drosophila homolog of the mammalian Nr4a1/2/3 class of immediate early response transcription factors. Acute ethanol exposure induces transient expression of Hr38 and other immediate early neuronal activity genes. Ethanol activates the Mef2 transcriptional activator to induce Hr38, and the Sirt1 histone/protein deacetylase is required to terminate Hr38 induction. Loss of Hr38 decreases ethanol tolerance and causes precocious but short‐lasting ethanol preference. Similarly, reduced Mef2 activity in all neurons or specifically in the mushroom body α/β neurons decreases ethanol tolerance; Sirt1 promotes ethanol tolerance in these same neurons. Genetically decreasing Hr38 expression levels in Sirt1 null mutants restores ethanol tolerance, demonstrating that both induction and termination of Hr38 expression are important for behavioral plasticity to proceed. These data demonstrate that Hr38 functions as an immediate early transcription factor that promotes ethanol behavioral plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Adhikari
- Quantitative and Systems Biology, University of California, Merced, California
| | - D Orozco
- Molecular Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, California
| | - H Randhawa
- Molecular Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, California
| | - F W Wolf
- Quantitative and Systems Biology, University of California, Merced, California.,Molecular Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, California
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13
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Singh AS, Shah A, Brockmann A. Honey bee foraging induces upregulation of early growth response protein 1, hormone receptor 38 and candidate downstream genes of the ecdysteroid signalling pathway. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:90-98. [PMID: 28987007 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In honey bees, continuous foraging at an artificial feeder induced a sustained upregulation of the immediate early genes early growth response protein 1 (Egr-1) and hormone receptor 38 (Hr38). This gene expression response was accompanied by an upregulation of several Egr-1 candidate downstream genes: ecdysone receptor (EcR), dopamine/ecdysteroid receptor (DopEcR), dopamine decarboxylase and dopamine receptor 2. Hr38, EcR and DopEcR are components of the ecdysteroid signalling pathway, which is highly probably involved in learning and memory processes in honey bees and other insects. Time-trained foragers still showed an upregulation of Egr-1 when the feeder was presented at an earlier time of the day, suggesting that the genomic response is more dependent on the food reward than training time. However, presentation of the feeder at the training time without food was still capable of inducing a transient increase in Egr-1 expression. Thus, learnt feeder cues, or even training time, probably affect Egr-1 expression. In contrast, whole brain Egr-1 expression changes did not differ between dancing and nondancing foragers. On the basis of our results we propose that food reward induced continuous foraging ultimately elicits a genomic response involving Egr-1 and Hr38 and their downstream genes. Furthermore this genomic response is highly probably involved in foraging-related learning and memory responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Singh
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India
| | - A Shah
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India
| | - A Brockmann
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India
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14
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Ulian-Benitez S, Bishop S, Foldi I, Wentzell J, Okenwa C, Forero MG, Zhu B, Moreira M, Phizacklea M, McIlroy G, Li G, Gay NJ, Hidalgo A. Kek-6: A truncated-Trk-like receptor for Drosophila neurotrophin 2 regulates structural synaptic plasticity. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006968. [PMID: 28846707 PMCID: PMC5591008 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophism, structural plasticity, learning and long-term memory in mammals critically depend on neurotrophins binding Trk receptors to activate tyrosine kinase (TyrK) signaling, but Drosophila lacks full-length Trks, raising the question of how these processes occur in the fly. Paradoxically, truncated Trk isoforms lacking the TyrK predominate in the adult human brain, but whether they have neuronal functions independently of full-length Trks is unknown. Drosophila has TyrK-less Trk-family receptors, encoded by the kekkon (kek) genes, suggesting that evolutionarily conserved functions for this receptor class may exist. Here, we asked whether Keks function together with Drosophila neurotrophins (DNTs) at the larval glutamatergic neuromuscular junction (NMJ). We tested the eleven LRR and Ig-containing (LIG) proteins encoded in the Drosophila genome for expression in the central nervous system (CNS) and potential interaction with DNTs. Kek-6 is expressed in the CNS, interacts genetically with DNTs and can bind DNT2 in signaling assays and co-immunoprecipitations. Ligand binding is promiscuous, as Kek-6 can also bind DNT1, and Kek-2 and Kek-5 can also bind DNT2. In vivo, Kek-6 is found presynaptically in motoneurons, and DNT2 is produced by the muscle to function as a retrograde factor at the NMJ. Kek-6 and DNT2 regulate NMJ growth and synaptic structure. Evidence indicates that Kek-6 does not antagonise the alternative DNT2 receptor Toll-6. Instead, Kek-6 and Toll-6 interact physically, and together regulate structural synaptic plasticity and homeostasis. Using pull-down assays, we identified and validated CaMKII and VAP33A as intracellular partners of Kek-6, and show that they regulate NMJ growth and active zone formation downstream of DNT2 and Kek-6. The synaptic functions of Kek-6 could be evolutionarily conserved. This raises the intriguing possibility that a novel mechanism of structural synaptic plasticity involving truncated Trk-family receptors independently of TyrK signaling may also operate in the human brain. A long-standing paradox had been to explain how brain structural plasticity, learning and long-term memory might occur in Drosophila in the absence of canonical Trk receptors for neurotrophin (NT) ligands. NTs link structure and function in the brain enabling adjustments in cell number, dendritic, axonal and synaptic patterns, in response to neuronal activity. These events are essential for brain development, learning and long-term memory, and are thought to depend on the tyrosine-kinase function of the NT Trk receptors. However, paradoxically, the most abundant Trk isoforms in the adult human brain lack the tyrosine kinase, and their neuronal function is unknown. Remarkably, Drosophila has kinase-less receptors of the Trk family encoded by the kekkon (kek) genes, suggesting that deep evolutionary functional conservation for this receptor class could be unveiled. Here, we show that Kek-6 is a receptor for Drosophila neurotrophin 2 (DNT2) that regulates structural synaptic plasticity via CaMKII and VAP33A. The latter are well-known factors regulating synaptic structure and plasticity and vesicle release. Furthemore, Kek-6 cooperates with the alternative DNT2 receptor Toll-6, and their concerted functions are required to regulate structural homeostasis at the NMJ. Our findings suggest that in mammals truncated Trk-family receptors could also have synaptic functions in neurons independently of Tyrosine kinase signaling. This might reveal a novel mechanism of brain plasticity, with important implications for understanding also the human brain, in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzana Ulian-Benitez
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Bishop
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Istvan Foldi
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jill Wentzell
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Chinenye Okenwa
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Bangfu Zhu
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Moreira
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Phizacklea
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Graham McIlroy
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Guiyi Li
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Gay
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Hidalgo
- NeuroDevelopment Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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15
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Chen X, Rahman R, Guo F, Rosbash M. Genome-wide identification of neuronal activity-regulated genes in Drosophila. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27936378 PMCID: PMC5148613 DOI: 10.7554/elife.19942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity-regulated genes (ARGs) are important for neuronal functions like long-term memory and are well-characterized in mammals but poorly studied in other model organisms like Drosophila. Here we stimulated fly neurons with different paradigms and identified ARGs using high-throughput sequencing from brains as well as from sorted neurons: they included a narrow set of circadian neurons as well as dopaminergic neurons. Surprisingly, many ARGs are specific to the stimulation paradigm and very specific to neuron type. In addition and unlike mammalian immediate early genes (IEGs), fly ARGs do not have short gene lengths and are less enriched for transcription factor function. Chromatin assays using ATAC-sequencing show that the transcription start sites (TSS) of ARGs do not change with neural firing but are already accessible prior to stimulation. Lastly based on binding site enrichment in ARGs, we identified transcription factor mediators of firing and created neuronal activity reporters. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19942.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Reazur Rahman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Fang Guo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Michael Rosbash
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.,National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
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16
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Sun X, Lin Y. Npas4: Linking Neuronal Activity to Memory. Trends Neurosci 2016; 39:264-275. [PMID: 26987258 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Immediate-early genes (IEGs) are rapidly activated after sensory and behavioral experience and are believed to be crucial for converting experience into long-term memory. Neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (Npas4), a recently discovered IEG, has several characteristics that make it likely to be a particularly important molecular link between neuronal activity and memory: it is among the most rapidly induced IEGs, is expressed only in neurons, and is selectively induced by neuronal activity. By orchestrating distinct activity-dependent gene programs in different neuronal populations, Npas4 affects synaptic connections in excitatory and inhibitory neurons, neural circuit plasticity, and memory formation. It may also be involved in circuit homeostasis through negative feedback and psychiatric disorders. We summarize these findings and discuss their implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Sun
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Graduate Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yingxi Lin
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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17
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Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Activity in Drosophila Can Identify Anticonvulsive Compounds. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148461. [PMID: 26863447 PMCID: PMC4749298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are now a number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) available, approximately one-third of epilepsy patients respond poorly to drug intervention. The reasons for this are complex, but are probably reflective of the increasing number of identified mutations that predispose individuals to this disease. Thus, there is a clear requirement for the development of novel treatments to address this unmet clinical need. The existence of gene mutations that mimic a seizure-like behaviour in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, offers the possibility to exploit the powerful genetics of this insect to identify novel cellular targets to facilitate design of more effective AEDs. In this study we use neuronal expression of GCaMP, a potent calcium reporter, to image neuronal activity using a non-invasive and rapid method. Expression in motoneurons in the isolated CNS of third instar larvae shows waves of calcium-activity that pass between segments of the ventral nerve cord. Time between calcium peaks, in the same neurons, between adjacent segments usually show a temporal separation of greater than 200 ms. Exposure to proconvulsants (picrotoxin or 4-aminopyridine) reduces separation to below 200 ms showing increased synchrony of activity across adjacent segments. Increased synchrony, characteristic of epilepsy, is similarly observed in genetic seizure mutants: bangsenseless1 (bss1) and paralyticK1270T (paraK1270T). Exposure of bss1 to clinically-used antiepileptic drugs (phenytoin or gabapentin) significantly reduces synchrony. In this study we use the measure of synchronicity to evaluate the effectiveness of known and novel anticonvulsive compounds (antipain, isethionate, etopiside rapamycin and dipyramidole) to reduce seizure-like CNS activity. We further show that such compounds also reduce the Drosophila voltage-gated persistent Na+ current (INaP) in an identified motoneuron (aCC). Our combined assays provide a rapid and reliable method to screen unknown compounds for potential to function as anticonvulsants.
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18
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Contribution of GABRG2 Polymorphisms to Risk of Epilepsy and Febrile Seizure: a Multicenter Cohort Study and Meta-analysis. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:5457-67. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9457-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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19
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Kadas D, Ryglewski S, Duch C. Transient BK outward current enhances motoneurone firing rates during Drosophila larval locomotion. J Physiol 2015; 593:4871-88. [PMID: 26332699 DOI: 10.1113/jp271323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS We combine in situ electrophysiology with genetic manipulation in Drosophila larvae aiming to investigate the role of fast calcium-activated potassium currents for motoneurone firing patterns during locomotion. We first demonstrate that slowpoke channels underlie fast calcium-activated potassium currents in these motoneurones. By conducting recordings in semi-intact animals that produce crawling-like movements, we show that slowpoke channels are required specifically in motoneurones for maximum firing rates during locomotion. Such enhancement of maximum firing rates occurs because slowpoke channels prevent depolarization block by limiting the amplitude of motoneurone depolarization in response to synaptic drive. In addition, slowpoke channels mediate a fast afterhyperpolarization that ensures the efficient recovery of sodium channels from inactivation during high frequency firing. The results of the present study provide new insights into the mechanisms by which outward conductances facilitate neuronal excitability and also provide direct confirmation of the functional relevance of precisely regulated slowpoke channel properties in motor control. ABSTRACT A large number of voltage-gated ion channels, their interactions with accessory subunits, and their post-transcriptional modifications generate an immense functional diversity of neurones. Therefore, a key challenge is to understand the genetic basis and precise function of specific ionic conductances for neuronal firing properties in the context of behaviour. The present study identifies slowpoke (slo) as exclusively mediating fast activating, fast inactivating BK current (ICF ) in larval Drosophila crawling motoneurones. Combining in vivo patch clamp recordings during larval crawling with pharmacology and targeted genetic manipulations reveals that ICF acts specifically in motoneurones to sculpt their firing patterns in response to a given input from the central pattern generating (CPG) networks. First, ICF curtails motoneurone postsynaptic depolarizations during rhythmical CPG drive. Second, ICF is activated during the rising phase of the action potential and mediates a fast afterhyperpolarization. Consequently, ICF is required for maximal intraburst firing rates during locomotion, probably by allowing recovery from inactivation of fast sodium channels and decreased potassium channel activation. This contrasts the common view that outward conductances oppose excitability but is in accordance with reports on transient BK and Kv3 channel function in multiple types of vertebrate neurones. Therefore, our finding that ICF enhances firing rates specifically during bursting patterns relevant to behaviour is probably of relevance to all brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Kadas
- Institute of Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefanie Ryglewski
- Institute of Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Carsten Duch
- Institute of Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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20
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Harris KP, Littleton JT. Transmission, Development, and Plasticity of Synapses. Genetics 2015; 201:345-75. [PMID: 26447126 PMCID: PMC4596655 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.176529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical synapses are sites of contact and information transfer between a neuron and its partner cell. Each synapse is a specialized junction, where the presynaptic cell assembles machinery for the release of neurotransmitter, and the postsynaptic cell assembles components to receive and integrate this signal. Synapses also exhibit plasticity, during which synaptic function and/or structure are modified in response to activity. With a robust panel of genetic, imaging, and electrophysiology approaches, and strong evolutionary conservation of molecular components, Drosophila has emerged as an essential model system for investigating the mechanisms underlying synaptic assembly, function, and plasticity. We will discuss techniques for studying synapses in Drosophila, with a focus on the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a well-established model glutamatergic synapse. Vesicle fusion, which underlies synaptic release of neurotransmitters, has been well characterized at this synapse. In addition, studies of synaptic assembly and organization of active zones and postsynaptic densities have revealed pathways that coordinate those events across the synaptic cleft. We will also review modes of synaptic growth and plasticity at the fly NMJ, and discuss how pre- and postsynaptic cells communicate to regulate plasticity in response to activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn P Harris
- Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - J Troy Littleton
- Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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21
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Lucey BP, Leahy A, Rosas R, Shaw PJ. A new model to study sleep deprivation-induced seizure. Sleep 2015; 38:777-85. [PMID: 25515102 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.4674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVES A relationship between sleep and seizures is well-described in both humans and rodent animal models; however, the mechanism underlying this relationship is unknown. Using Drosophila melanogaster mutants with seizure phenotypes, we demonstrate that seizure activity can be modified by sleep deprivation. DESIGN Seizure activity was evaluated in an adult bang-sensitive seizure mutant, stress sensitive B (sesB(9ed4)), and in an adult temperature sensitive seizure mutant seizure (sei(ts1)) under baseline and following 12 h of sleep deprivation. The long-term effect of sleep deprivation on young, immature sesB(9ed4) flies was also assessed. SETTING Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Drosophila melanogaster. INTERVENTIONS Sleep deprivation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Sleep deprivation increased seizure susceptibility in adult sesB(9ed4)/+ and sei(ts1) mutant flies. Sleep deprivation also increased seizure susceptibility when sesB was disrupted using RNAi. The effect of sleep deprivation on seizure activity was reduced when sesB(9ed4)/+ flies were given the anti-seizure drug, valproic acid. In contrast to adult flies, sleep deprivation during early fly development resulted in chronic seizure susceptibility when sesB(9ed4)/+ became adults. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that Drosophila is a model organism for investigating the relationship between sleep and seizure activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan P Lucey
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
| | - Averi Leahy
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
| | - Regine Rosas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
| | - Paul J Shaw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO
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22
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Lin WH, He M, Baines RA. Seizure suppression through manipulating splicing of a voltage-gated sodium channel. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 138:891-901. [PMID: 25681415 PMCID: PMC5014079 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-gated persistent sodium current (INaP) is a tractable target for antiepileptic drugs. Using a strategy focused on INaP reduction, Lin et al. identify 95 regulators of voltage-gated sodium channel splicing for which RNAi knockdown reduces seizure duration in Drosophila. Manipulation of splicing regulators could improve control of epilepsy. Seizure can result from increased voltage-gated persistent sodium current expression. Although many clinically-approved antiepileptic drugs target voltage-gated persistent sodium current, none exclusively repress this current without also adversely affecting the transient voltage-gated sodium current. Achieving a more selective block has significant potential for the treatment of epilepsy. Recent studies show that voltage-gated persistent sodium current amplitude is regulated by alternative splicing offering the possibility of a novel route for seizure control. In this study we identify 291 splicing regulators that, on knockdown, alter splicing of the Drosophila voltage-gated sodium channel to favour inclusion of exon K, rather than the mutually exclusive exon L. This change is associated with both a significant reduction in voltage-gated persistent sodium current, without change to transient voltage-gated sodium current, and to rescue of seizure in this model insect. RNA interference mediated knock-down, in two different seizure mutants, shows that 95 of these regulators are sufficient to significantly reduce seizure duration. Moreover, most suppress seizure activity in both mutants, indicative that they are part of well conserved pathways and likely, therefore, to be optimal candidates to take forward to mammalian studies. We provide proof-of-principle for such studies by showing that inhibition of a selection of regulators, using small molecule inhibitors, is similarly effective to reduce seizure. Splicing of the Drosophila sodium channel shows many similarities to its mammalian counterparts, including altering the amplitude of voltage-gated persistent sodium current. Our study provides the impetus to investigate whether manipulation of splicing of mammalian voltage-gated sodium channels may be exploitable to provide effective seizure control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hsiang Lin
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Miaomiao He
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Richard A Baines
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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23
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Limmer S, Weiler A, Volkenhoff A, Babatz F, Klämbt C. The Drosophila blood-brain barrier: development and function of a glial endothelium. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:365. [PMID: 25452710 PMCID: PMC4231875 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of neuronal function requires a well-balanced extracellular ion homeostasis and a steady supply with nutrients and metabolites. Therefore, all organisms equipped with a complex nervous system developed a so-called blood-brain barrier, protecting it from an uncontrolled entry of solutes, metabolites or pathogens. In higher vertebrates, this diffusion barrier is established by polarized endothelial cells that form extensive tight junctions, whereas in lower vertebrates and invertebrates the blood-brain barrier is exclusively formed by glial cells. Here, we review the development and function of the glial blood-brain barrier of Drosophila melanogaster. In the Drosophila nervous system, at least seven morphologically distinct glial cell classes can be distinguished. Two of these glial classes form the blood-brain barrier. Perineurial glial cells participate in nutrient uptake and establish a first diffusion barrier. The subperineurial glial (SPG) cells form septate junctions, which block paracellular diffusion and thus seal the nervous system from the hemolymph. We summarize the molecular basis of septate junction formation and address the different transport systems expressed by the blood-brain barrier forming glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Limmer
- Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster Münster, Germany
| | - Astrid Weiler
- Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster Münster, Germany
| | - Anne Volkenhoff
- Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster Münster, Germany
| | - Felix Babatz
- Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Klämbt
- Institut für Neuro- und Verhaltensbiologie, Universität Münster Münster, Germany
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24
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Zwarts L, Van Eijs F, Callaerts P. Glia in Drosophila behavior. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2014; 201:879-93. [PMID: 25336160 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-014-0952-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glial cells constitute about 10 % of the Drosophila nervous system. The development of genetic and molecular tools has helped greatly in defining different types of glia. Furthermore, considerable progress has been made in unraveling the mechanisms that control the development and differentiation of Drosophila glia. By contrast, the role of glia in adult Drosophila behavior is not well understood. We here summarize recent work describing the role of glia in normal behavior and in Drosophila models for neurological and behavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Zwarts
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Developmental Genetics VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, Center for Human Genetics, KULeuven, O&N IV Herestraat 49, Box 602, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
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25
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Lutz CC, Robinson GE. Activity-dependent gene expression in honey bee mushroom bodies in response to orientation flight. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 216:2031-8. [PMID: 23678099 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.084905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The natural history of adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) provides an opportunity to study the molecular basis of learning in an ecological context. Foragers must learn to navigate between the hive and floral locations that may be up to miles away. Young pre-foragers prepare for this task by performing orientation flights near the hive, during which they begin to learn navigational cues such as the appearance of the hive, the position of landmarks, and the movement of the sun. Despite well-described spatial learning and navigation behavior, there is currently limited information on the neural basis of insect spatial learning. We found that Egr, an insect homolog of Egr-1, is rapidly and transiently upregulated in the mushroom bodies in response to orientation. This result is the first example of an Egr-1 homolog acting as a learning-related immediate-early gene in an insect and also demonstrates that honey bee orientation uses a molecular mechanism that is known to be involved in many other forms of learning. This transcriptional response occurred both in naïve bees and in foragers induced to re-orient. Further experiments suggest that visual environmental novelty, rather than exercise or memorization of specific visual cues, acts as the stimulus for Egr upregulation. Our results implicate the mushroom bodies in spatial learning and emphasize the deep conservation of Egr-related pathways in experience-dependent plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia C Lutz
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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26
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Mutation of a NCKX eliminates glial microdomain calcium oscillations and enhances seizure susceptibility. J Neurosci 2013; 33:1169-78. [PMID: 23325253 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3920-12.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glia exhibit spontaneous and activity-dependent fluctuations in intracellular Ca(2+), yet it is unclear whether glial Ca(2+) oscillations are required during neuronal signaling. Somatic glial Ca(2+) waves are primarily mediated by the release of intracellular Ca(2+) stores, and their relative importance in normal brain physiology has been disputed. Recently, near-membrane microdomain Ca(2+) transients were identified in fine astrocytic processes and found to arise via an intracellular store-independent process. Here, we describe the identification of rapid, near-membrane Ca(2+) oscillations in Drosophila cortex glia of the CNS. In a screen for temperature-sensitive conditional seizure mutants, we identified a glial-specific Na(+)/Ca(2+), K(+) exchanger (zydeco) that is required for microdomain Ca(2+) oscillatory activity. We found that zydeco mutant animals exhibit increased susceptibility to seizures in response to a variety of environmental stimuli, and that zydeco is required acutely in cortex glia to regulate seizure susceptibility. We also found that glial expression of calmodulin is required for stress-induced seizures in zydeco mutants, suggesting a Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent glial signaling pathway underlies glial-neuronal communication. These studies demonstrate that microdomain glial Ca(2+) oscillations require NCKX-mediated plasma membrane Ca(2+) flux, and that acute dysregulation of glial Ca(2+) signaling triggers seizures.
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27
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McKiernan EC. Effects of manipulating slowpoke calcium-dependent potassium channel expression on rhythmic locomotor activity in Drosophila larvae. PeerJ 2013; 1:e57. [PMID: 23638395 PMCID: PMC3628981 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhythmic motor behaviors are generated by networks of neurons. The sequence and timing of muscle contractions depends on both synaptic connections between neurons and the neurons' intrinsic properties. In particular, motor neuron ion currents may contribute significantly to motor output. Large conductance Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) (BK) currents play a role in action potential repolarization, interspike interval, repetitive and burst firing, burst termination and interburst interval in neurons. Mutations in slowpoke (slo) genes encoding BK channels result in motor disturbances. This study examined the effects of manipulating slo channel expression on rhythmic motor activity using Drosophila larva as a model system. Dual intracellular recordings from adjacent body wall muscles were made during spontaneous crawling-related activity in larvae expressing a slo mutation or a slo RNA interference construct. The incidence and duration of rhythmic activity in slo mutants were similar to wild-type control animals, while the timing of the motor pattern was altered. slo mutants showed decreased burst durations, cycle durations, and quiescence intervals, and increased duty cycles, relative to wild-type. Expressing slo RNAi in identified motor neurons phenocopied many of the effects observed in the mutant, including decreases in quiescence interval and cycle duration. Overall, these results show that altering slo expression in the whole larva, and specifically in motor neurons, changes the frequency of crawling activity. These results suggest an important role for motor neuron intrinsic properties in shaping the timing of motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C McKiernan
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey , Xochitepec, Morelos , México
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Abstract
Sustained neuronal communication relies on the coordinated activity of multiple proteins that regulate synaptic vesicle biogenesis and cycling within the presynaptic terminal. Synaptogyrin and synaptophysin are conserved MARVEL domain-containing transmembrane proteins that are among the most abundant synaptic vesicle constituents, although their role in the synaptic vesicle cycle has remained elusive. To further investigate the function of these proteins, we generated and characterized a synaptogyrin (gyr)-null mutant in Drosophila, whose genome encodes a single synaptogyrin isoform and lacks a synaptophysin homolog. We demonstrate that Drosophila synaptogyrin plays a modulatory role in synaptic vesicle biogenesis at larval neuromuscular junctions. Drosophila lacking synaptogyrin are viable and fertile and have no overt deficits in motor function. However, ultrastructural analysis of gyr larvae revealed increased synaptic vesicle diameter and enhanced variability in the size of synaptic vesicles. In addition, the resolution of endocytic cisternae into synaptic vesicles in response to strong stimulation is defective in gyr mutants. Electrophysiological analysis demonstrated an increase in quantal size and a concomitant decrease in quantal content, suggesting functional consequences for transmission caused by the loss of synaptogyrin. Furthermore, high-frequency stimulation resulted in increased facilitation and a delay in recovery from synaptic depression, indicating that synaptic vesicle exo-endocytosis is abnormally regulated during intense stimulation conditions. These results suggest that synaptogyrin modulates the synaptic vesicle exo-endocytic cycle and is required for the proper biogenesis of synaptic vesicles at nerve terminals.
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29
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Differential regulation of evoked and spontaneous neurotransmitter release by C-terminal modifications of complexin. Mol Cell Neurosci 2012; 52:161-72. [PMID: 23159779 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2012.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2012] [Revised: 09/10/2012] [Accepted: 11/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Complexins are small α-helical proteins that modulate neurotransmitter release by binding to SNARE complexes during synaptic vesicle exocytosis. They have been found to function as fusion clamps to inhibit spontaneous synaptic vesicle fusion in the absence of Ca(2+), while also promoting evoked neurotransmitter release following an action potential. Complexins consist of an N-terminal domain and an accessory α-helix that regulates the activating and inhibitory properties of the protein, respectively, and a central α-helix that binds the SNARE complex and is essential for both functions. In addition, complexins contain a largely unstructured C-terminal domain whose role in synaptic vesicle cycling is poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that the C-terminus of Drosophila complexin (DmCpx) regulates localization to synapses and that alternative splicing of the C-terminus can differentially regulate spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release. Characterization of the single DmCpx gene by mRNA analysis revealed expression of two alternatively expressed isoforms, DmCpx7A and DmCpx7B, which encode proteins with different C-termini that contain or lack a membrane tethering prenylation domain. The predominant isoform, DmCpx7A, is further modified by RNA editing within this C-terminal region. Functional analysis of the splice isoforms showed that both are similarly localized to synaptic boutons at larval neuromuscular junctions, but have differential effects on the regulation of evoked and spontaneous fusion. These data indicate that the C-terminus of Drosophila complexin regulates both spontaneous and evoked release through separate mechanisms and that alternative splicing generates isoforms with distinct effects on the two major modes of synaptic vesicle fusion at synapses.
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30
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Mizrak D, Ruben M, Myers GN, Rhrissorrakrai K, Gunsalus KC, Blau J. Electrical activity can impose time of day on the circadian transcriptome of pacemaker neurons. Curr Biol 2012; 22:1871-80. [PMID: 22940468 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.07.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circadian (∼24 hr) rhythms offer one of the best examples of how gene expression is tied to behavior. Circadian pacemaker neurons contain molecular clocks that control 24 hr rhythms in gene expression that in turn regulate electrical activity rhythms to control behavior. RESULTS Here we demonstrate the inverse relationship: there are broad transcriptional changes in Drosophila clock neurons (LN(v)s) in response to altered electrical activity, including a large set of circadian genes. Hyperexciting LN(v)s creates a morning-like expression profile for many circadian genes while hyperpolarization leads to an evening-like transcriptional state. The electrical effects robustly persist in per(0) mutant LN(v)s but not in cyc(0) mutant LN(v)s, suggesting that neuronal activity interacts with the transcriptional activators of the core circadian clock. Bioinformatic and immunocytochemical analyses suggest that CREB family transcription factors link LN(v) electrical state to circadian gene expression. CONCLUSIONS The electrical state of a clock neuron can impose time of day to its transcriptional program. We propose that this acts as an internal zeitgeber to add robustness and precision to circadian behavioral rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dogukan Mizrak
- Department of Biology, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA
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31
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Lyons MR, West AE. Mechanisms of specificity in neuronal activity-regulated gene transcription. Prog Neurobiol 2011; 94:259-95. [PMID: 21620929 PMCID: PMC3134613 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2011.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2011] [Revised: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a highly adaptable organ that is capable of converting sensory information into changes in neuronal function. This plasticity allows behavior to be accommodated to the environment, providing an important evolutionary advantage. Neurons convert environmental stimuli into long-lasting changes in their physiology in part through the synaptic activity-regulated transcription of new gene products. Since the neurotransmitter-dependent regulation of Fos transcription was first discovered nearly 25 years ago, a wealth of studies have enriched our understanding of the molecular pathways that mediate activity-regulated changes in gene transcription. These findings show that a broad range of signaling pathways and transcriptional regulators can be engaged by neuronal activity to sculpt complex programs of stimulus-regulated gene transcription. However, the shear scope of the transcriptional pathways engaged by neuronal activity raises the question of how specificity in the nature of the transcriptional response is achieved in order to encode physiologically relevant responses to divergent stimuli. Here we summarize the general paradigms by which neuronal activity regulates transcription while focusing on the molecular mechanisms that confer differential stimulus-, cell-type-, and developmental-specificity upon activity-regulated programs of neuronal gene transcription. In addition, we preview some of the new technologies that will advance our future understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of activity-regulated gene transcription in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Lyons
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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32
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Guan Z, Buhl LK, Quinn WG, Littleton JT. Altered gene regulation and synaptic morphology in Drosophila learning and memory mutants. Learn Mem 2011; 18:191-206. [PMID: 21422168 DOI: 10.1101/lm.2027111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetic studies in Drosophila have revealed two separable long-term memory pathways defined as anesthesia-resistant memory (ARM) and long-lasting long-term memory (LLTM). ARM is disrupted in radish (rsh) mutants, whereas LLTM requires CREB-dependent protein synthesis. Although the downstream effectors of ARM and LLTM are distinct, pathways leading to these forms of memory may share the cAMP cascade critical for associative learning. Dunce, which encodes a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase, and rutabaga, which encodes an adenylyl cyclase, both disrupt short-term memory. Amnesiac encodes a pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating peptide homolog and is required for middle-term memory. Here, we demonstrate that the Radish protein localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus and is a PKA phosphorylation target in vitro. To characterize how these plasticity pathways may manifest at the synaptic level, we assayed synaptic connectivity and performed an expression analysis to detect altered transcriptional networks in rutabaga, dunce, amnesiac, and radish mutants. All four mutants disrupt specific aspects of synaptic connectivity at larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Genome-wide DNA microarray analysis revealed ∼375 transcripts that are altered in these mutants, suggesting defects in multiple neuronal signaling pathways. In particular, the transcriptional target Lapsyn, which encodes a leucine-rich repeat cell adhesion protein, localizes to synapses and regulates synaptic growth. This analysis provides insights into the Radish-dependent ARM pathway and novel transcriptional targets that may contribute to memory processing in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Guan
- Department of Biology, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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33
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Abstract
Synapse formation is tightly associated with neuronal excitability. We found striking synaptic overgrowth caused by Drosophila K(+)-channel mutations of the seizure and slowpoke genes, encoding Erg and Ca(2+)-activated large-conductance (BK) channels, respectively. These mutants display two distinct patterns of "satellite" budding from larval motor terminus synaptic boutons. Double-mutant analysis indicates that BK and Erg K(+) channels interact with separate sets of synaptic proteins to affect distinct growth steps. Post-synaptic L-type Ca(2+) channels, Dmca1D, and PSD-95-like scaffold protein, Discs large, are required for satellite budding induced by slowpoke and seizure mutations. Pre-synaptic cacophony Ca(2+) channels and the NCAM-like adhesion molecule, Fasciclin II, take part in a maturation step that is partially arrested by seizure mutations. Importantly, slowpoke and seizure satellites were both suppressed by rutabaga mutations that disrupt Ca(2+)/CaM-dependent adenylyl cyclase, demonstrating a convergence of K(+) channels of different functional categories in regulation of excitability-dependent Ca(2+) influx for triggering cAMP-mediated growth plasticity.
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Abstract
In vertebrates, sialylated glycans participate in a wide range of biological processes and affect the development and function of the nervous system. While the complexity of glycosylation and the functional redundancy among sialyltransferases provide obstacles for revealing biological roles of sialylation in mammals, Drosophila possesses a sole vertebrate-type sialyltransferase, Drosophila sialyltransferase (DSiaT), with significant homology to its mammalian counterparts, suggesting that Drosophila could be a suitable model to investigate the function of sialylation. To explore this possibility and investigate the role of sialylation in Drosophila, we inactivated DSiaT in vivo by gene targeting and analyzed phenotypes of DSiaT mutants using a combination of behavioral, immunolabeling, electrophysiological, and pharmacological approaches. Our experiments demonstrated that DSiaT expression is restricted to a subset of CNS neurons throughout development. We found that DSiaT mutations result in significantly decreased life span, locomotor abnormalities, temperature-sensitive paralysis, and defects of neuromuscular junctions. Our results indicate that DSiaT regulates neuronal excitability and affects the function of a voltage-gated sodium channel. Finally, we showed that sialyltransferase activity is required for DSiaT function in vivo, which suggests that DSiaT mutant phenotypes result from a defect in sialylation of N-glycans. This work provided the first evidence that sialylation has an important biological function in protostomes, while also revealing a novel, nervous system-specific function of alpha2,6-sialylation. Thus, our data shed light on one of the most ancient functions of sialic acids in metazoan organisms and suggest a possibility that this function is evolutionarily conserved between flies and mammals.
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35
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Freeman A, Bowers M, Mortimer AV, Timmerman C, Roux S, Ramaswami M, Sanyal S. A new genetic model of activity-induced Ras signaling dependent pre-synaptic plasticity in Drosophila. Brain Res 2010; 1326:15-29. [PMID: 20193670 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.02.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2009] [Revised: 02/17/2010] [Accepted: 02/22/2010] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Techniques to induce activity-dependent neuronal plasticity in vivo allow the underlying signaling pathways to be studied in their biological context. Here, we demonstrate activity-induced plasticity at neuromuscular synapses of Drosophila double mutant for comatose (an NSF mutant) and Kum (a SERCA mutant), and present an analysis of the underlying signaling pathways. comt; Kum (CK) double mutants exhibit increased locomotor activity under normal culture conditions, concomitant with a larger neuromuscular junction synapse and stably elevated evoked transmitter release. The observed enhancements of synaptic size and transmitter release in CK mutants are completely abrogated by: a) reduced activity of motor neurons; b) attenuation of the Ras/ERK signaling cascade; or c) inhibition of the transcription factors Fos and CREB. All of which restrict synaptic properties to near wild type levels. Together, these results document neural activity-dependent plasticity of motor synapses in CK animals that requires Ras/ERK signaling and normal transcriptional activity of Fos and CREB. Further, novel in vivo reporters of neuronal Ras activation and Fos transcription also confirm increased signaling through a Ras/AP-1 pathway in motor neurons of CK animals, consistent with results from our genetic experiments. Thus, this study: a) provides a robust system in which to study activity-induced synaptic plasticity in vivo; b) establishes a causal link between neural activity, Ras signaling, transcriptional regulation and pre-synaptic plasticity in glutamatergic motor neurons of Drosophila larvae; and c) presents novel, genetically encoded reporters for Ras and AP-1 dependent signaling pathways in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Freeman
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30022, USA
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36
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Loebrich S, Nedivi E. The function of activity-regulated genes in the nervous system. Physiol Rev 2009; 89:1079-103. [PMID: 19789377 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00013.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian brain is plastic in the sense that it shows a remarkable capacity for change throughout life. The contribution of neuronal activity to brain plasticity was first recognized in relation to critical periods of development, when manipulating the sensory environment was found to profoundly affect neuronal morphology and receptive field properties. Since then, a growing body of evidence has established that brain plasticity extends beyond development and is an inherent feature of adult brain function, spanning multiple domains, from learning and memory to adaptability of primary sensory maps. Here we discuss evolution of the current view that plasticity of the adult brain derives from dynamic tuning of transcriptional control mechanisms at the neuronal level, in response to external and internal stimuli. We then review the identification of "plasticity genes" regulated by changes in the levels of electrical activity, and how elucidating their cellular functions has revealed the intimate role transcriptional regulation plays in fundamental aspects of synaptic transmission and circuit plasticity that occur in the brain on an every day basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Loebrich
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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37
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Barber CF, Jorquera RA, Melom JE, Littleton JT. Postsynaptic regulation of synaptic plasticity by synaptotagmin 4 requires both C2 domains. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 187:295-310. [PMID: 19822673 PMCID: PMC2768828 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200903098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Analogous to synaptotagmin 1, a calcium-sensitive regulator of presynaptic vesicle fusion, synaptotagmin 4 needs both of its calcium-binding sites to regulate synaptic plasticity via postsynaptic retrograde signaling. Ca2+ influx into synaptic compartments during activity is a key mediator of neuronal plasticity. Although the role of presynaptic Ca2+ in triggering vesicle fusion though the Ca2+ sensor synaptotagmin 1 (Syt 1) is established, molecular mechanisms that underlie responses to postsynaptic Ca2+ influx remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that fusion-competent Syt 4 vesicles localize postsynaptically at both neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and central nervous system synapses in Drosophila melanogaster. Syt 4 messenger RNA and protein expression are strongly regulated by neuronal activity, whereas altered levels of postsynaptic Syt 4 modify synaptic growth and presynaptic release properties. Syt 4 is required for known forms of activity-dependent structural plasticity at NMJs. Synaptic proliferation and retrograde signaling mediated by Syt 4 requires functional C2A and C2B Ca2+–binding sites, as well as serine 284, an evolutionarily conserved substitution for a key Ca2+-binding aspartic acid found in other synaptotagmins. These data suggest that Syt 4 regulates activity-dependent release of postsynaptic retrograde signals that promote synaptic plasticity, similar to the role of Syt 1 as a Ca2+ sensor for presynaptic vesicle fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia F Barber
- Department of Biology, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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38
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Pharmacogenetic analysis reveals a post-developmental role for Rac GTPases in Caenorhabditis elegans GABAergic neurotransmission. Genetics 2009; 183:1357-72. [PMID: 19797046 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.109.106880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The nerve-cell cytoskeleton is essential for the regulation of intrinsic neuronal activity. For example, neuronal migration defects are associated with microtubule regulators, such as LIS1 and dynein, as well as with actin regulators, including Rac GTPases and integrins, and have been thought to underlie epileptic seizures in patients with cortical malformations. However, it is plausible that post-developmental functions of specific cytoskeletal regulators contribute to the more transient nature of aberrant neuronal activity and could be masked by developmental anomalies. Accordingly, our previous results have illuminated functional roles, distinct from developmental contributions, for Caenorhabditis elegans orthologs of LIS1 and dynein in GABAergic synaptic vesicle transport. Here, we report that C. elegans with function-altering mutations in canonical Rac GTPase-signaling-pathway members demonstrated a robust behavioral response to a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, pentylenetetrazole. Rac mutants also exhibited hypersensitivity to an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, aldicarb, uncovering deficiencies in inhibitory neurotransmission. RNA interference targeting Rac hypomorphs revealed synergistic interactions between the dynein motor complex and some, but not all, members of Rac-signaling pathways. These genetic interactions are consistent with putative Rac-dependent regulation of actin and microtubule networks and suggest that some cytoskeletal regulators cooperate to uniquely govern neuronal synchrony through dynein-mediated GABAergic vesicle transport in C. elegans.
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39
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Hodge JJL. Ion channels to inactivate neurons in Drosophila. Front Mol Neurosci 2009; 2:13. [PMID: 19750193 PMCID: PMC2741205 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.02.013.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2009] [Accepted: 08/11/2009] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels are the determinants of excitability; therefore, manipulation of their levels and properties provides an opportunity for the investigator to modulate neuronal and circuit function. There are a number of ways to suppress electrical activity in Drosophila neurons, for instance, over-expression of potassium channels (i.e. Shaker Kv1, Shaw Kv3, Kir2.1 and DORK) that are open at resting membrane potential. This will result in increased potassium efflux and membrane hyperpolarisation setting resting membrane potential below the threshold required to fire action potentials. Alternatively over-expression of other channels, pumps or co-transporters that result in a hyperpolarised membrane potential will also prevent firing. Lastly, neurons can be inactivated by, disrupting or reducing the level of functional voltage-gated sodium (Nav1 paralytic) or calcium (Cav2 cacophony) channels that mediate the depolarisation phase of action potentials. Similarly, strategies involving the opposite channel manipulation should allow net depolarisation and hyperexcitation in a given neuron. These changes in ion channel expression can be brought about by the versatile transgenic (i.e. Gal4/UAS based) systems available in Drosophila allowing fine temporal and spatial control of (channel) transgene expression. These systems are making it possible to electrically inactivate (or hyperexcite) any neuron or neural circuit in the fly brain, and much like an exquisite lesion experiment, potentially elucidate whatever interesting behaviour or phenotype each network mediates. These techniques are now being used in Drosophila to reprogram electrical activity of well-defined circuits and bring about robust and easily quantifiable changes in behaviour, allowing different models and hypotheses to be rapidly tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J L Hodge
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, University of Bristol Bristol, UK
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40
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Chiang A, Priya R, Ramaswami M, Vijayraghavan K, Rodrigues V. Neuronal activity and Wnt signaling act through Gsk3-beta to regulate axonal integrity in mature Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons. Development 2009; 136:1273-82. [PMID: 19304886 DOI: 10.1242/dev.031377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The roles played by signaling pathways and neural activity during the development of circuits have been studied in several different contexts. However, the mechanisms involved in maintaining neuronal integrity once circuits are established are less well understood, despite their potential relevance to neurodegeneration. We demonstrate that maintenance of adult Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons requires cell-autonomous neuronal activity. When activity is silenced, development occurs normally, but neurons degenerate in adulthood. These detrimental effects can be compensated by downregulating Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (Gsk-3beta). Conversely, ectopic expression of activated Gsk-3beta or downregulation of Wnt effectors also affect neuron stability, demonstrating a role for Wnt signaling in neuroprotection. This is supported by our observation that activated adult neurons are capable of increased Wingless release, and its targeted expression can protect neurons against degeneration. The role of Wnt signaling in this process is non-transcriptional, and may act on cellular mechanisms that regulate axonal or synaptic stability. Together, we provide evidence that Gsk-3beta is a key sensor involved in neural circuit integrity, maintaining axon stability through neural activity and the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Chiang
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, GKVK Campus, Bangalore-65, India
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41
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Kasuya J, Kaas G, Kitamoto T. Effects of lithium chloride on the gene expression profiles in Drosophila heads. Neurosci Res 2009; 64:413-20. [PMID: 19410610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2009.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2009] [Revised: 04/03/2009] [Accepted: 04/23/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
To gain insight into the basic neurobiological processes regulated by lithium--an effective drug for bipolar disorder--we used Affymetrix Genome Arrays to examine lithium-induced changes in genome-wide gene expression profiles of head mRNA from the genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster. First, to identify the individual genes whose transcript levels are most significantly altered by lithium, we analyzed the microarray data with stringent criteria (fold change>2; p<0.001) and evaluated the results by RT-PCR. This analysis identified 12 genes that encode proteins with various biological functions, including an enzyme responsible for amino acid metabolism and a putative amino acid transporter. Second, to uncover the biological pathways involved in lithium's action in the nervous system, we used less stringent criteria (fold change>1.2; FDR<0.05) and assigned the identified 66 lithium-responsive genes to biological pathways using DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery). The gene ontology categories most significantly affected by lithium were amino acid metabolic processes. Taken together, these data suggest that amino acid metabolism is important for lithium's actions in the nervous system, and lay a foundation for future functional studies of lithium-responsive neurobiological processes using the versatile molecular and genetic tools that are available in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko Kasuya
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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42
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Zhang S, Feany MB, Saraswati S, Littleton JT, Perrimon N. Inactivation of Drosophila Huntingtin affects long-term adult functioning and the pathogenesis of a Huntington's disease model. Dis Model Mech 2009; 2:247-66. [PMID: 19380309 PMCID: PMC2675792 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.000653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2008] [Accepted: 01/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene causes neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD), but the in vivo function of the native protein (Htt) is largely unknown. Numerous biochemical and in vitro studies have suggested a role for Htt in neuronal development, synaptic function and axonal trafficking. To test these models, we generated a null mutant in the putative Drosophila HTT homolog (htt, hereafter referred to asdhtt) and, surprisingly, found that dhtt mutant animals are viable with no obvious developmental defects. Instead, dhtt is required for maintaining the mobility and long-term survival of adult animals, and for modulating axonal terminal complexity in the adult brain. Furthermore, removing endogenous dhtt significantly accelerates the neurodegenerative phenotype associated with a Drosophila model of polyglutamine Htt toxicity (HD-Q93), providing in vivo evidence that disrupting the normal function of Htt might contribute to HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhang
- Department of Genetics
- Present address: Research Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1825 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Sudipta Saraswati
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - J. Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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43
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Gilestro GF, Tononi G, Cirelli C. Widespread changes in synaptic markers as a function of sleep and wakefulness in Drosophila. Science 2009; 324:109-12. [PMID: 19342593 DOI: 10.1126/science.1166673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is universal, strictly regulated, and necessary for cognition. Why this is so remains a mystery, although recent work suggests that sleep, memory, and plasticity are linked. However, little is known about how wakefulness and sleep affect synapses. Using Western blots and confocal microscopy in Drosophila, we found that protein levels of key components of central synapses were high after waking and low after sleep. These changes were related to behavioral state rather than time of day and occurred in all major areas of the Drosophila brain. The decrease of synaptic markers during sleep was progressive, and sleep was necessary for their decline. Thus, sleep may be involved in maintaining synaptic homeostasis altered by waking activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio F Gilestro
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53719, USA
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44
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Evans TA, Haridas H, Duffy JB. Kekkon5 is an extracellular regulator of BMP signaling. Dev Biol 2008; 326:36-46. [PMID: 19013143 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2008] [Revised: 09/14/2008] [Accepted: 10/02/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Precise spatial and temporal control of Drosophila Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling is achieved by a host of extracellular factors that modulate ligand distribution and activity. Here we describe Kekkon5 (Kek5), a transmembrane protein containing leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), as a novel regulator of BMP signaling in Drosophila. We find that loss or gain of kek5 disrupts crossvein development and alters the early profile of phosphorylated Mad and dSRF in presumptive crossvein cells. kek5 phenotypic effects closely mimic those observed with Short gastrulation (Sog), but do not completely recapitulate the effects of dominant negative BMP receptors. We further demonstrate that Kek5 is able to antagonize the BMP ligand Glass bottom boat (Gbb) and that the Kek5 LRRs are required for BMP inhibitory activity, while the Ig domain is dispensable in this context. Our identification of Kek5 as a modulator of BMP signaling supports the emerging notion that LIG proteins function as diverse regulators of cellular communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Evans
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Jordan Hall, 1001 E 3d Street., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Seeburg DP, Feliu-Mojer M, Gaiottino J, Pak DTS, Sheng M. Critical role of CDK5 and Polo-like kinase 2 in homeostatic synaptic plasticity during elevated activity. Neuron 2008; 58:571-83. [PMID: 18498738 PMCID: PMC2488274 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2008.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2007] [Revised: 02/07/2008] [Accepted: 03/18/2008] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Homeostatic plasticity keeps neuronal spiking output within an optimal range in the face of chronically altered levels of network activity. Little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms, particularly in response to elevated activity. We report that, in hippocampal neurons experiencing heightened activity, the activity-inducible protein kinase Polo-like kinase 2 (Plk2, also known as SNK) was required for synaptic scaling-a principal mechanism underlying homeostatic plasticity. Synaptic scaling also required CDK5, which acted as a "priming" kinase for the phospho-dependent binding of Plk2 to its substrate SPAR, a postsynaptic RapGAP and scaffolding molecule that is degraded following phosphorylation by Plk2. RNAi knockdown of SPAR weakened synapses, and overexpression of a SPAR mutant resistant to Plk2-dependent degradation prevented synaptic scaling. Thus, priming phosphorylation of the Plk2 binding site in SPAR by CDK5, followed by Plk2 recruitment and SPAR phosphorylation-degradation, constitutes a molecular pathway for neuronal homeostatic plasticity during chronically elevated activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Seeburg
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, RIKEN-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Ly CV, Yao CK, Verstreken P, Ohyama T, Bellen HJ. straightjacket is required for the synaptic stabilization of cacophony, a voltage-gated calcium channel alpha1 subunit. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 181:157-70. [PMID: 18391075 PMCID: PMC2287295 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200712152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In a screen to identify genes involved in synaptic function, we isolated mutations in Drosophila melanogaster straightjacket (stj), an α2δ subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channel. stj mutant photoreceptors develop normal synaptic connections but display reduced “on–off” transients in electroretinogram recordings, indicating a failure to evoke postsynaptic responses and, thus, a defect in neurotransmission. stj is expressed in neurons but excluded from glia. Mutants exhibit endogenous seizure-like activity, indicating altered neuronal excitability. However, at the synaptic level, stj larval neuromuscular junctions exhibit approximately fourfold reduction in synaptic release compared with controls stemming from a reduced release probability at these synapses. These defects likely stem from destabilization of Cacophony (Cac), the primary presynaptic α1 subunit in D. melanogaster. Interestingly, neuronal overexpression of cac partially rescues the viability and physiological defects in stj mutants, indicating a role for the α2δ Ca2+ channel subunit in mediating the proper localization of an α1 subunit at synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy V Ly
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Haussmann IU, White K, Soller M. Erect wing regulates synaptic growth in Drosophila by integration of multiple signaling pathways. Genome Biol 2008; 9:R73. [PMID: 18419806 PMCID: PMC2643944 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2008-9-4-r73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2007] [Revised: 02/14/2008] [Accepted: 04/17/2008] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Formation of synaptic connections is a dynamic and highly regulated process. Little is known about the gene networks that regulate synaptic growth and how they balance stimulatory and restrictive signals. Results Here we show that the neuronally expressed transcription factor gene erect wing (ewg) is a major target of the RNA binding protein ELAV and that EWG restricts synaptic growth at neuromuscular junctions. Using a functional genomics approach we demonstrate that EWG acts primarily through increasing mRNA levels of genes involved in transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, while genes at the end of the regulatory expression hierarchy (effector genes) represent only a minor portion, indicating an extensive regulatory network. Among EWG-regulated genes are components of Wingless and Notch signaling pathways. In a clonal analysis we demonstrate that EWG genetically interacts with Wingless and Notch, and also with TGF-β and AP-1 pathways in the regulation of synaptic growth. Conclusion Our results show that EWG restricts synaptic growth by integrating multiple cellular signaling pathways into an extensive regulatory gene expression network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irmgard U Haussmann
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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A common genetic target for environmental and heritable influences on aggressiveness in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:5657-63. [PMID: 18408154 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0801327105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental and genetic factors can modulate aggressiveness, but the biological mechanisms underlying their influence are largely unknown. Social experience with conspecifics suppresses aggressiveness in both vertebrate and invertebrate species, including Drosophila. We searched for genes whose expression levels correlate with the influence of social experience on aggressiveness in Drosophila by performing microarray analysis of head tissue from socially isolated (aggressive) vs. socially experienced (nonaggressive) male flies. Among approximately 200 differentially expressed genes, only one was also present in a gene set previously identified by profiling Drosophila strains subjected to genetic selection for differences in aggressiveness [Dierick HA, Greenspan RJ (2006) Nat Genet 38:1023-1031]. This gene, Cyp6a20, encodes a cytochrome P450. Social experience increased Cyp6a20 expression and decreased aggressiveness in a reversible manner. In Cyp6a20 mutants, aggressiveness was increased in group-housed but not socially isolated flies. These data identify a common genetic target for environmental and heritable influences on aggressiveness. Cyp6a20 is expressed in a subset of nonneuronal support cells associated with pheromone-sensing olfactory sensilla, suggesting that social experience may influence aggressiveness by regulating pheromone sensitivity.
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Jones S, Pfister-Genskow M, Benca RM, Cirelli C. Molecular correlates of sleep and wakefulness in the brain of the white-crowned sparrow. J Neurochem 2007; 105:46-62. [PMID: 18028333 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.05089.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In the mammalian brain, sleep and wakefulness are associated with widespread changes in gene expression. The extent to which the molecular correlates of vigilance state are conserved across phylogeny, however, is only beginning to be explored. The goal of this study was to determine whether sleep and wakefulness affect gene expression in the avian brain. To achieve this end we performed an extensive microarray analysis of gene expression during sleep, wakefulness, and short-term sleep deprivation in the telencephalon of the white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). We found that, as in the rodent cerebral cortex, behavioral state, independent of time of day, has widespread effects on avian brain gene expression, affecting the transcript levels of 255 genes (1.4% of all tested transcripts). Wakefulness-related transcripts (n = 114) code for proteins involved in energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation, immediate early genes and transcription factors associated with activity-dependent neural plasticity, as well as heat-shock proteins and molecular chaperones associated with the unfolded protein response. Sleep-related transcripts (n = 141) code for proteins involved in membrane trafficking, lipid/cholesterol synthesis, translational regulation, cellular adhesion, and cytoskeletal organization. Remarkably, despite the considerable differences in morphology and cytology between the mammalian neocortex and the avian telencephalon, the functional categories of transcripts identified in this study exhibit a significant degree of overlap with those identified in the rodent cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephany Jones
- Neuroscience Training Program, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53719, USA
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Huntwork S, Littleton JT. A complexin fusion clamp regulates spontaneous neurotransmitter release and synaptic growth. Nat Neurosci 2007; 10:1235-7. [PMID: 17873870 DOI: 10.1038/nn1980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2007] [Accepted: 08/17/2007] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal signaling occurs through both action potential-triggered synaptic vesicle fusion and spontaneous release, although the fusion clamp machinery that prevents premature exocytosis of synaptic vesicles in the absence of calcium is unknown. Here we demonstrate that spontaneous release at synapses is regulated by complexin, a SNARE complex-binding protein. Analysis of Drosophila melanogaster complexin null mutants showed a marked increase in spontaneous fusion and a profound overgrowth of synapses, suggesting that complexin functions as the fusion clamp in vivo and may modulate structural remodeling of neuronal connections by controlling the rate of spontaneous release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Huntwork
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 46, Room 3243, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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