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Wodrich APK, Harris BT, Giniger E. Changes in mitochondrial distribution occur at the axon initial segment in association with neurodegeneration in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580288. [PMID: 38405730 PMCID: PMC10888798 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Changes in mitochondrial distribution are a feature of numerous age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In Drosophila, reducing the activity of Cdk5 causes a neurodegenerative phenotype and is known to affect several mitochondrial properties. Therefore, we investigated whether alterations of mitochondrial distribution are involved in Cdk5-associated neurodegeneration. We find that reducing Cdk5 activity does not alter the balance of mitochondrial localization to the somatodendritic vs. axonal neuronal compartments of the mushroom body, the learning and memory center of the Drosophila brain. We do, however, observe changes in mitochondrial distribution at the axon initial segment (AIS), a neuronal compartment located in the proximal axon involved in neuronal polarization and action potential initiation. Specifically, we observe that mitochondria are partially excluded from the AIS in wild-type neurons, but that this exclusion is lost upon reduction of Cdk5 activity, concomitant with the shrinkage of the AIS domain that is known to occur in this condition. This mitochondrial redistribution into the AIS is not likely due to the shortening of the AIS domain itself but rather due to altered Cdk5 activity. Furthermore, mitochondrial redistribution into the AIS is unlikely to be an early driver of neurodegeneration in the context of reduced Cdk5 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. K. Wodrich
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Brent T. Harris
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- Department of Neurology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
| | - Edward Giniger
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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2
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Polavarapu K, Sunitha B, Töpf A, Preethish-Kumar V, Thompson R, Vengalil S, Nashi S, Bardhan M, Sanka SB, Huddar A, Unnikrishnan G, Arunachal G, Girija MS, Porter A, Azuma Y, Lorenzoni PJ, Baskar D, Anjanappa RM, Keertipriya M, Padmanabh H, Harikrishna GV, Laurie S, Matalonga L, Horvath R, Nalini A, Lochmüller H. Clinical and genetic characterisation of a large Indian congenital myasthenic syndrome cohort. Brain 2024; 147:281-296. [PMID: 37721175 PMCID: PMC10766255 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a rare group of inherited disorders caused by gene defects associated with the neuromuscular junction and potentially treatable with commonly available medications such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and β2 adrenergic receptor agonists. In this study, we identified and genetically characterized the largest cohort of CMS patients from India to date. Genetic testing of clinically suspected patients evaluated in a South Indian hospital during the period 2014-19 was carried out by standard diagnostic gene panel testing or using a two-step method that included hotspot screening followed by whole-exome sequencing. In total, 156 genetically diagnosed patients (141 families) were characterized and the mutational spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlation described. Overall, 87 males and 69 females were evaluated, with the age of onset ranging from congenital to fourth decade (mean 6.6 ± 9.8 years). The mean age at diagnosis was 19 ± 12.8 (1-56 years), with a mean diagnostic delay of 12.5 ± 9.9 (0-49 years). Disease-causing variants in 17 CMS-associated genes were identified in 132 families (93.6%), while in nine families (6.4%), variants in genes not associated with CMS were found. Overall, postsynaptic defects were most common (62.4%), followed by glycosylation defects (21.3%), synaptic basal lamina genes (4.3%) and presynaptic defects (2.8%). Other genes found to cause neuromuscular junction defects (DES, TEFM) in our cohort accounted for 2.8%. Among the individual CMS genes, the most commonly affected gene was CHRNE (39.4%), followed by DOK7 (14.4%), DPAGT1 (9.8%), GFPT1 (7.6%), MUSK (6.1%), GMPPB (5.3%) and COLQ (4.5%). We identified 22 recurrent variants in this study, out of which eight were found to be geographically specific to the Indian subcontinent. Apart from the known common CHRNE variants p.E443Kfs*64 (11.4%) and DOK7 p.A378Sfs*30 (9.3%), we identified seven novel recurrent variants specific to this cohort, including DPAGT1 p.T380I and DES c.1023+5G>A, for which founder haplotypes are suspected. This study highlights the geographic differences in the frequencies of various causative CMS genes and underlines the increasing significance of glycosylation genes (DPAGT1, GFPT1 and GMPPB) as a cause of neuromuscular junction defects. Myopathy and muscular dystrophy genes such as GMPPB and DES, presenting as gradually progressive limb girdle CMS, expand the phenotypic spectrum. The novel genes MACF1 and TEFM identified in this cohort add to the expanding list of genes with new mechanisms causing neuromuscular junction defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Polavarapu
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Balaraju Sunitha
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0SP, UK
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ana Töpf
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Veeramani Preethish-Kumar
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
- Department of Neurology, Neurofoundation, Salem, Tamil Nadu 636009, India
| | - Rachel Thompson
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Seena Vengalil
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Saraswati Nashi
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Mainak Bardhan
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Sai Bhargava Sanka
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Akshata Huddar
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
- Department of Neurology, St Johns Medical College Hospital, Bangalore 560034, India
| | - Gopikrishnan Unnikrishnan
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
- Department of Neurology, Amruta Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi 682041, India
| | - Gautham Arunachal
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Manu Santhappan Girija
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Anna Porter
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Yoshiteru Azuma
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Paulo José Lorenzoni
- Neuromuscular Disorders Division, Service of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua General Carneiro, Curitiba - PR 80060-900, Brazil
| | - Dipti Baskar
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Ram Murthy Anjanappa
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Madassu Keertipriya
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Hansashree Padmanabh
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | | | - Steve Laurie
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia 08028, Spain
| | - Leslie Matalonga
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia 08028, Spain
| | - Rita Horvath
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0SP, UK
| | - Atchayaram Nalini
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Catalonia 08028, Spain
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Medical Center–University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg 79110, Germany
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3
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Glomb O, Swaim G, Munoz LLancao P, Lovejoy C, Sutradhar S, Park J, Wu Y, Cason SE, Holzbaur ELF, Hammarlund M, Howard J, Ferguson SM, Gramlich MW, Yogev S. A kinesin-1 adaptor complex controls bimodal slow axonal transport of spectrin in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1847-1863.e12. [PMID: 37751746 PMCID: PMC10574138 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
An actin-spectrin lattice, the membrane periodic skeleton (MPS), protects axons from breakage. MPS integrity relies on spectrin delivery via slow axonal transport, a process that remains poorly understood. We designed a probe to visualize endogenous spectrin dynamics at single-axon resolution in vivo. Surprisingly, spectrin transport is bimodal, comprising fast runs and movements that are 100-fold slower than previously reported. Modeling and genetic analysis suggest that the two rates are independent, yet both require kinesin-1 and the coiled-coil proteins UNC-76/FEZ1 and UNC-69/SCOC, which we identify as spectrin-kinesin adaptors. Knockdown of either protein led to disrupted spectrin motility and reduced distal MPS, and UNC-76 overexpression instructed excessive transport of spectrin. Artificially linking spectrin to kinesin-1 drove robust motility but inefficient MPS assembly, whereas impairing MPS assembly led to excessive spectrin transport, suggesting a balance between transport and assembly. These results provide insight into slow axonal transport and MPS integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Glomb
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Grace Swaim
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Pablo Munoz LLancao
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Christopher Lovejoy
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sabyasachi Sutradhar
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Junhyun Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Youjun Wu
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sydney E Cason
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erika L F Holzbaur
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marc Hammarlund
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jonathon Howard
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Shawn M Ferguson
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Shaul Yogev
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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4
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Yoon S, Santos MD, Forrest MP, Pratt CP, Khalatyan N, Mohler PJ, Savas JN, Penzes P. Early developmental deletion of forebrain Ank2 causes seizure-related phenotypes by reshaping the synaptic proteome. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112784. [PMID: 37428632 PMCID: PMC10566302 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Rare genetic variants in ANK2, which encodes ankyrin-B, are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); however, their pathogenesis is poorly understood. We find that mice with prenatal deletion in cortical excitatory neurons and oligodendrocytes (Ank2-/-:Emx1-Cre), but not with adolescent deletion in forebrain excitatory neurons (Ank2-/-:CaMKIIα-Cre), display severe spontaneous seizures, increased mortality, hyperactivity, and social deficits. Calcium imaging of cortical slices from Ank2-/-:Emx1-Cre mice shows increased neuronal calcium event amplitude and frequency, along with network hyperexcitability and hypersynchrony. Quantitative proteomic analysis of cortical synaptic membranes reveals upregulation of dendritic spine plasticity-regulatory proteins and downregulation of intermediate filaments. Characterization of the ankyrin-B interactome identifies interactors associated with autism and epilepsy risk factors and synaptic proteins. The AMPA receptor antagonist, perampanel, restores cortical neuronal activity and partially rescues survival in Ank2-/-:Emx1-Cre mice. Our findings suggest that synaptic proteome alterations resulting from Ank2 deletion impair neuronal activity and synchrony, leading to NDDs-related behavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehyoun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Marc Dos Santos
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Marc P Forrest
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Christopher P Pratt
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Natalia Khalatyan
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Peter J Mohler
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia Research; Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Savas
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Peter Penzes
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Northwestern University, Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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5
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Guss EJ, Akbergenova Y, Cunningham KL, Littleton JT. Loss of the extracellular matrix protein Perlecan disrupts axonal and synaptic stability during Drosophila development. eLife 2023; 12:RP88273. [PMID: 37368474 PMCID: PMC10328508 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) form essential components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basement membrane (BM) and have both structural and signaling roles. Perlecan is a secreted ECM-localized HSPG that contributes to tissue integrity and cell-cell communication. Although a core component of the ECM, the role of Perlecan in neuronal structure and function is less understood. Here, we identify a role for Drosophila Perlecan in the maintenance of larval motoneuron axonal and synaptic stability. Loss of Perlecan causes alterations in the axonal cytoskeleton, followed by axonal breakage and synaptic retraction of neuromuscular junctions. These phenotypes are not prevented by blocking Wallerian degeneration and are independent of Perlecan's role in Wingless signaling. Expression of Perlecan solely in motoneurons cannot rescue synaptic retraction phenotypes. Similarly, removing Perlecan specifically from neurons, glia, or muscle does not cause synaptic retraction, indicating the protein is secreted from multiple cell types and functions non-cell autonomously. Within the peripheral nervous system, Perlecan predominantly localizes to the neural lamella, a specialized ECM surrounding nerve bundles. Indeed, the neural lamella is disrupted in the absence of Perlecan, with axons occasionally exiting their usual boundary in the nerve bundle. In addition, entire nerve bundles degenerate in a temporally coordinated manner across individual hemi-segments throughout larval development. These observations indicate disruption of neural lamella ECM function triggers axonal destabilization and synaptic retraction of motoneurons, revealing a role for Perlecan in axonal and synaptic integrity during nervous system development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen J Guss
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Karen L Cunningham
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
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6
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-synuclein promotes neuronal dysfunction and death by disrupting the binding of ankyrin to ß-spectrin. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543481. [PMID: 37333277 PMCID: PMC10274672 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
α-synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to ß-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders we demonstrate that ß-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of ß-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila. Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies leads to neuronal dysfunction and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Ronald R. Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B. Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
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Schwartz S, Wilson SJ, Hale TK, Fitzsimons HL. Ankyrin2 is essential for neuronal morphogenesis and long-term courtship memory in Drosophila. Mol Brain 2023; 16:42. [PMID: 37194019 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01026-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of HDAC4 expression and/or nucleocytoplasmic shuttling results in impaired neuronal morphogenesis and long-term memory in Drosophila melanogaster. A recent genetic screen for genes that interact in the same molecular pathway as HDAC4 identified the cytoskeletal adapter Ankyrin2 (Ank2). Here we sought to investigate the role of Ank2 in neuronal morphogenesis, learning and memory. We found that Ank2 is expressed widely throughout the Drosophila brain where it localizes predominantly to axon tracts. Pan-neuronal knockdown of Ank2 in the mushroom body, a region critical for memory formation, resulted in defects in axon morphogenesis. Similarly, reduction of Ank2 in lobular plate tangential neurons of the optic lobe disrupted dendritic branching and arborization. Conditional knockdown of Ank2 in the mushroom body of adult Drosophila significantly impaired long-term memory (LTM) of courtship suppression, and its expression was essential in the γ neurons of the mushroom body for normal LTM. In summary, we provide the first characterization of the expression pattern of Ank2 in the adult Drosophila brain and demonstrate that Ank2 is critical for morphogenesis of the mushroom body and for the molecular processes required in the adult brain for the formation of long-term memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Schwartz
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Current Address: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Life NanoScience, Rome, Italy
| | - Sarah J Wilson
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Tracy K Hale
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Helen L Fitzsimons
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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8
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Maor G, Dubreuil RR, Feany MB. α-Synuclein Promotes Neuronal Dysfunction and Death by Disrupting the Binding of Ankyrin to β-Spectrin. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1614-1626. [PMID: 36653193 PMCID: PMC10008058 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1922-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but critical interacting partners and molecular mechanisms mediating neurotoxicity are incompletely understood. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin. Using males and females in a Drosophila model of α-synuclein-related disorders, we demonstrate that β-spectrin is critical for α-synuclein neurotoxicity. Further, the ankyrin binding domain of β-spectrin is required for α-synuclein binding and neurotoxicity. A key plasma membrane target of ankyrin, Na+/K+ ATPase, is mislocalized when human α-synuclein is expressed in Drosophila Accordingly, membrane potential is depolarized in α-synuclein transgenic fly brains. We examine the same pathway in human neurons and find that Parkinson's disease patient-derived neurons with a triplication of the α-synuclein locus show disruption of the spectrin cytoskeleton, mislocalization of ankyrin and Na+/K+ ATPase, and membrane potential depolarization. Our findings define a specific molecular mechanism by which elevated levels of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies lead to neuronal dysfunction and death.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The small synaptic vesicle associate protein α-synuclein plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related disorders, but the disease-relevant binding partners of α-synuclein and proximate pathways critical for neurotoxicity require further definition. We show that α-synuclein binds directly to β-spectrin, a key cytoskeletal protein required for localization of plasma membrane proteins and maintenance of neuronal viability. Binding of α-synuclein to β-spectrin alters the organization of the spectrin-ankyrin complex, which is critical for localization and function of integral membrane proteins, including Na+/K+ ATPase. These finding outline a previously undescribed mechanism of α-synuclein neurotoxicity and thus suggest potential new therapeutic approaches in Parkinson's disease and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gali Maor
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Ronald R Dubreuil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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9
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Mushtaq Z, Aavula K, Lasser DA, Kieweg ID, Lion LM, Kins S, Pielage J. Madm/NRBP1 mediates synaptic maintenance and neurodegeneration-induced presynaptic homeostatic potentiation. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111710. [PMID: 36450258 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The precise regulation of synaptic connectivity and function is essential to maintain neuronal circuits. Here, we show that the Drosophila pseudo-kinase Madm/NRBP1 (Mlf-1-adapter-molecule/nuclear-receptor-binding protein 1) is required presynaptically to maintain synaptic stability and to coordinate synaptic growth and function. Presynaptic Madm mediates these functions by controlling cap-dependent translation via the target of rapamycin (TOR) effector 4E-BP/Thor (eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein/Thor). Strikingly, at degenerating neuromuscular synapses, postsynaptic Madm induces a compensatory, transsynaptic signal that utilizes the presynaptic homeostatic potentiation (PHP) machinery to offset synaptic release deficits and to delay synaptic degeneration. Madm is not required for canonical PHP but induces a neurodegeneration-specific form of PHP and acts via the regulation of the cap-dependent translation regulators 4E-BP/Thor and S6-kinase. Consistently, postsynaptic induction of canonical PHP or TOR activation can compensate for postsynaptic Madm to alleviate functional and structural synaptic defects. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration-induced PHP with potential neurotherapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeeshan Mushtaq
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Kumar Aavula
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany; Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Dario A Lasser
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Ingrid D Kieweg
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lena M Lion
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Stefan Kins
- Department of Human Biology and Human Genetics, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Jan Pielage
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany.
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10
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Li D. Role of Spectrin in Endocytosis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152459. [PMID: 35954302 PMCID: PMC9368487 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeletal spectrin is found in (non)erythroid cells. Eukaryotic endocytosis takes place for internalizing cargos from extracellular milieu. The role of spectrin in endocytosis still remains poorly understood. Here, I summarize current knowledge of spectrin function, spectrin-based cytoskeleton and endocytosis of erythrocytes, and highlight how spectrin contributes to endocytosis and working models in different types of cells. From an evolutionary viewpoint, I discuss spectrin and endocytosis in a range of organisms, particularly in plants and yeast where spectrin is absent. Together, the role of spectrin in endocytosis is related to its post-translational modification, movement/rearrangement, elimination (by proteases) and meshwork fencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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11
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York NS, Sanchez-Arias JC, McAdam ACH, Rivera JE, Arbour LT, Swayne LA. Mechanisms underlying the role of ankyrin-B in cardiac and neurological health and disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:964675. [PMID: 35990955 PMCID: PMC9386378 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.964675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ANK2 gene encodes for ankyrin-B (ANKB), one of 3 members of the ankyrin family of proteins, whose name is derived from the Greek word for anchor. ANKB was originally identified in the brain (B denotes “brain”) but has become most widely known for its role in cardiomyocytes as a scaffolding protein for ion channels and transporters, as well as an interacting protein for structural and signaling proteins. Certain loss-of-function ANK2 variants are associated with a primarily cardiac-presenting autosomal-dominant condition with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity characterized by a predisposition to supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, congenital and adult-onset structural heart disease, and sudden death. Another independent group of ANK2 variants are associated with increased risk for distinct neurological phenotypes, including epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders. The mechanisms underlying ANKB's roles in cells in health and disease are not fully understood; however, several clues from a range of molecular and cell biological studies have emerged. Notably, ANKB exhibits several isoforms that have different cell-type–, tissue–, and developmental stage– expression profiles. Given the conservation within ankyrins across evolution, model organism studies have enabled the discovery of several ankyrin roles that could shed important light on ANKB protein-protein interactions in heart and brain cells related to the regulation of cellular polarity, organization, calcium homeostasis, and glucose and fat metabolism. Along with this accumulation of evidence suggesting a diversity of important ANKB cellular functions, there is an on-going debate on the role of ANKB in disease. We currently have limited understanding of how these cellular functions link to disease risk. To this end, this review will examine evidence for the cellular roles of ANKB and the potential contribution of ANKB functional variants to disease risk and presentation. This contribution will highlight the impact of ANKB dysfunction on cardiac and neuronal cells and the significance of understanding the role of ANKB variants in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole S. York
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Alexa C. H. McAdam
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Joel E. Rivera
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Laura T. Arbour
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Laura T. Arbour
| | - Leigh Anne Swayne
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Leigh Anne Swayne
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12
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Huynh TKT, Mai TTT, Huynh MA, Yoshida H, Yamaguchi M, Dang TTP. Crucial Roles of Ubiquitin Carboxy-Terminal Hydrolase L1 in Motor Neuronal Health by Drosophila Model. Antioxid Redox Signal 2022; 37:257-273. [PMID: 35343238 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2021.0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Aims: Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) plays an important role in the ubiquitin-proteasome system and is distributed mostly in the brain. Previous studies have shown that mutated forms or reduction of UCH-L1 are related to neurodegenerative disorders, but the mechanisms of pathogenesis are still not well understood. To study its roles in motor neuronal health, we utilized the Drosophila model in which dUCH, a homolog of human UCH-L1, was specifically knocked down in motor neurons. Results: The reduction of Drosophila ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (dUCH) in motor neurons induced excessive reactive oxygen species production and multiple aging-like phenotypes, including locomotive defects, muscle degeneration, enhanced apoptosis, and shortened longevity. In addition, there is a decrease in the density of the synaptic active zone and glutamate receptor area at the neuromuscular junction. Interestingly, all these defects were rescued by vitamin C treatment, suggesting a close association with oxidative stress. Strikingly, the knockdown of dUCH at motor neurons exhibited aberrant morphology and function of mitochondria, such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion, an increase in mitochondrial size, and overexpression of antioxidant enzymes. Innovation: This research indicates a new, possible pathogenesis of dUCH deficiency in the ventral nerve cord and peripheral nervous systems, which starts with abnormal mitochondria, leading to oxidative stress and accumulation aging-like defects in general. Conclusion: Taken together, by using the Drosophila model, our findings strongly emphasize how the UCH-L1 shortage affects motor neurons and further demonstrate the crucial roles of UCH-L1 in neuronal health. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 257-273.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thoa Kim Truong Huynh
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Trinh Thi Thu Mai
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Man Anh Huynh
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Thao Thi Phuong Dang
- Department of Molecular and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.,Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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13
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Restrepo LJ, DePew AT, Moese ER, Tymanskyj SR, Parisi MJ, Aimino MA, Duhart JC, Fei H, Mosca TJ. γ-secretase promotes Drosophila postsynaptic development through the cleavage of a Wnt receptor. Dev Cell 2022; 57:1643-1660.e7. [PMID: 35654038 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Developing synapses mature through the recruitment of specific proteins that stabilize presynaptic and postsynaptic structure and function. Wnt ligands signaling via Frizzled (Fz) receptors play many crucial roles in neuronal and synaptic development, but whether and how Wnt and Fz influence synaptic maturation is incompletely understood. Here, we show that Fz2 receptor cleavage via the γ-secretase complex is required for postsynaptic development and maturation. In the absence of γ-secretase, Drosophila neuromuscular synapses fail to recruit postsynaptic scaffolding and cytoskeletal proteins, leading to behavioral deficits. Introducing presenilin mutations linked to familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease into flies leads to synaptic maturation phenotypes that are identical to those seen in null alleles. This conserved role for γ-secretase in synaptic maturation and postsynaptic development highlights the importance of Fz2 cleavage and suggests that receptor processing by proteins linked to neurodegeneration may be a shared mechanism with aspects of synaptic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Restrepo
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Alison T DePew
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Moese
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Stephen R Tymanskyj
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Michael J Parisi
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Michael A Aimino
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Hong Fei
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J Mosca
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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14
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Landínez-Macías M, Urwyler O. The Fine Art of Writing a Message: RNA Metabolism in the Shaping and Remodeling of the Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:755686. [PMID: 34916907 PMCID: PMC8670310 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.755686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal morphogenesis, integration into circuits, and remodeling of synaptic connections occur in temporally and spatially defined steps. Accordingly, the expression of proteins and specific protein isoforms that contribute to these processes must be controlled quantitatively in time and space. A wide variety of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, which act on pre-mRNA and mRNA molecules contribute to this control. They are thereby critically involved in physiological and pathophysiological nervous system development, function, and maintenance. Here, we review recent findings on how mRNA metabolism contributes to neuronal development, from neural stem cell maintenance to synapse specification, with a particular focus on axon growth, guidance, branching, and synapse formation. We emphasize the role of RNA-binding proteins, and highlight their emerging roles in the poorly understood molecular processes of RNA editing, alternative polyadenylation, and temporal control of splicing, while also discussing alternative splicing, RNA localization, and local translation. We illustrate with the example of the evolutionary conserved Musashi protein family how individual RNA-binding proteins are, on the one hand, acting in different processes of RNA metabolism, and, on the other hand, impacting multiple steps in neuronal development and circuit formation. Finally, we provide links to diseases that have been associated with the malfunction of RNA-binding proteins and disrupted post-transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Landínez-Macías
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Molecular Life Sciences Program, Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Urwyler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Molecular Life Sciences Program, Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Abstract
Whilst tissues form during development, some cells are extruded from epithelial monolayers. Rather than dying or differentiating, a new study shows that displaced cells can reintegrate after dividing. Surprisingly, this 'intrusion' pathway shares common features with axon guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott E Williams
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Kendall J Lough
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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16
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Changes in Presynaptic Gene Expression during Homeostatic Compensation at a Central Synapse. J Neurosci 2021; 41:3054-3067. [PMID: 33608385 PMCID: PMC8026347 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2979-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic matching of pre- and postsynaptic function has been observed in many species and neural structures, but whether transcriptional changes contribute to this form of trans-synaptic coordination remains unknown. To identify genes whose expression is altered in presynaptic neurons as a result of perturbing postsynaptic excitability, we applied a transcriptomics-friendly, temperature-inducible Kir2.1-based activity clamp at the first synaptic relay of the Drosophila olfactory system, a central synapse known to exhibit trans-synaptic homeostatic matching. Twelve hours after adult-onset suppression of activity in postsynaptic antennal lobe projection neurons of males and females, we detected changes in the expression of many genes in the third antennal segment, which houses the somata of presynaptic olfactory receptor neurons. These changes affected genes with roles in synaptic vesicle release and synaptic remodeling, including several implicated in homeostatic plasticity at the neuromuscular junction. At 48 h and beyond, the transcriptional landscape tilted toward protein synthesis, folding, and degradation; energy metabolism; and cellular stress defenses, indicating that the system had been pushed to its homeostatic limits. Our analysis suggests that similar homeostatic machinery operates at peripheral and central synapses and identifies many of its components. The presynaptic transcriptional response to genetically targeted postsynaptic perturbations could be exploited for the construction of novel connectivity tracing tools. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Homeostatic feedback mechanisms adjust intrinsic and synaptic properties of neurons to keep their average activity levels constant. We show that, at a central synapse in the fruit fly brain, these mechanisms include changes in presynaptic gene expression that are instructed by an abrupt loss of postsynaptic excitability. The trans-synaptically regulated genes have roles in synaptic vesicle release and synapse remodeling; protein synthesis, folding, and degradation; and energy metabolism. Our study establishes a role for transcriptional changes in homeostatic synaptic plasticity, points to mechanistic commonalities between peripheral and central synapses, and potentially opens new opportunities for the development of connectivity-based gene expression systems.
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17
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Isasti-Sanchez J, Münz-Zeise F, Lancino M, Luschnig S. Transient opening of tricellular vertices controls paracellular transport through the follicle epithelium during Drosophila oogenesis. Dev Cell 2021; 56:1083-1099.e5. [PMID: 33831351 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Paracellular permeability is regulated to allow solute transport or cell migration across epithelial or endothelial barriers. However, how cell-cell junction dynamics controls paracellular permeability is poorly understood. Here, we describe patency, a developmentally regulated process in Drosophila oogenesis, during which cell vertices in the follicular epithelium open transiently to allow paracellular transport of yolk proteins for uptake by the oocyte. We show that the sequential removal of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, NCAM/Fasciclin 2, and Sidekick from vertices precedes their basal-to-apical opening, while the subsequent assembly of tricellular occluding junctions marks the termination of patency and seals the paracellular barrier. E-cadherin-based adhesion is required to limit paracellular channel size, whereas stabilized adherens junctions, prolonged NCAM/Fasciclin 2 expression, blocked endocytosis, or increased actomyosin contractility prevent patency. Our findings reveal a key role of cell vertices as gateways controlling paracellular transport and demonstrate that dynamic regulation of adhesion and actomyosin contractility at vertices governs epithelial barrier properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jone Isasti-Sanchez
- Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Münster, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Münster, Germany; Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Center, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Fenja Münz-Zeise
- Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Münster, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Münster, Germany; Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Center, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mylène Lancino
- Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Münster, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Münster, Germany; Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Center, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Luschnig
- Institute of Animal Physiology, University of Münster, Schlossplatz 8, 48143 Münster, Germany; Cells in Motion (CiM) Interfaculty Center, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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18
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Parato J, Bartolini F. The microtubule cytoskeleton at the synapse. Neurosci Lett 2021; 753:135850. [PMID: 33775740 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In neurons, microtubules (MTs) provide routes for transport throughout the cell and structural support for dendrites and axons. Both stable and dynamic MTs are necessary for normal neuronal functions. Research in the last two decades has demonstrated that MTs play additional roles in synaptic structure and function in both pre- and postsynaptic elements. Here, we review current knowledge of the functions that MTs perform in excitatory and inhibitory synapses, as well as in the neuromuscular junction and other specialized synapses, and discuss the implications that this knowledge may have in neurological disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Parato
- Columbia University Medical Center, Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, 630 West 168(th)Street, P&S 15-421, NY, NY, 10032, United States; SUNY Empire State College, Department of Natural Sciences, 177 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States
| | - Francesca Bartolini
- Columbia University Medical Center, Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, 630 West 168(th)Street, P&S 15-421, NY, NY, 10032, United States.
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19
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Chen K, Yang R, Li Y, Zhou JC, Zhang M. Giant ankyrin-B suppresses stochastic collateral axon branching through direct interaction with microtubules. J Cell Biol 2021; 219:151929. [PMID: 32640013 PMCID: PMC7401806 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201910053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Giant ankyrin-B (gAnkB) is a 440-kD neurospecific ankyrin-B isoform and a high-confidence target for autism mutations. gAnkB suppresses axon branching through coordination of cortical microtubules, and autism-related mutation of gAnkB results in ectopic neuronal connectivity. We identified a bipartite motif from gAnkB, which bundles and avidly binds to microtubules in vitro. This motif is composed of a module of 15 tandem repeats followed by a short, conserved fragment also found in giant ankyrin-G (BG-box). Combination of these two parts synergistically increases microtubule-binding avidity. Transfection of astrocytes (which lack gAnkB) with WT gAnkB resulted in prominent bundling of microtubules, which did not occur with mutant gAnkB with impaired microtubule-binding activity. Similarly, rescue of gAnkB-deficient neurons with WT gAnkB suppressed axonal branching and invasion of EB3-tagged microtubules into filopodia, which did not occur with the same mutant gAnkB. Together, these findings demonstrate that gAnkB suppresses axon collateral branching and prevents microtubule invasion of nascent axon branches through direct interaction with microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyu Chen
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Greater Bay Biomedical Innocenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Yubing Li
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jin Chuan Zhou
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mingjie Zhang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Greater Bay Biomedical Innocenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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20
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Heckman EL, Doe CQ. Establishment and Maintenance of Neural Circuit Architecture. J Neurosci 2021; 41:1119-1129. [PMID: 33568445 PMCID: PMC7888231 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1143-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to sense the world, process information, and navigate the environment depends on the assembly and continuous function of neural circuits in the brain. Within the past two decades, new technologies have rapidly advanced our understanding of how neural circuits are wired during development and how they are stably maintained, often for years. Electron microscopy reconstructions of model organism connectomes have provided a map of the stereotyped (and variable) connections in the brain; advanced light microscopy techniques have enabled direct observation of the cellular dynamics that underlie circuit construction and maintenance; transcriptomic and proteomic surveys of both developing and mature neurons have provided insights into the molecular and genetic programs governing circuit establishment and maintenance; and advanced genetic techniques have allowed for high-throughput discovery of wiring regulators. These tools have empowered scientists to rapidly generate and test hypotheses about how circuits establish and maintain connectivity. Thus, the set of principles governing circuit formation and maintenance have been expanded. These principles are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Heckman
- Institute of Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Chris Q Doe
- Institute of Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
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21
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Putting the axonal periodic scaffold in order. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:33-40. [PMID: 33450534 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neurons rely on a unique organization of their cytoskeleton to build, maintain and transform their extraordinarily intricate shapes. After decades of research on the neuronal cytoskeleton, it is exciting that novel assemblies are still discovered thanks to progress in cellular imaging methods. Indeed, super-resolution microscopy has revealed that axons are lined with a periodic scaffold of actin rings, spaced every 190nm by spectrins. Determining the architecture, composition, dynamics, and functions of this membrane-associated periodic scaffold is a current conceptual and technical challenge, as well as a very active area of research. This short review aims at summarizing the latest research on the axonal periodic scaffold, highlighting recent progress and open questions.
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22
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Leterrier C. A Pictorial History of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton. J Neurosci 2021; 41:11-27. [PMID: 33408133 PMCID: PMC7786211 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2872-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Leterrier
- Aix Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, INP Unité Mixte de Recherche 7051, NeuroCyto, Marseille 13005, France
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23
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Chou VT, Johnson SA, Van Vactor D. Synapse development and maturation at the drosophila neuromuscular junction. Neural Dev 2020; 15:11. [PMID: 32741370 PMCID: PMC7397595 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-020-00147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are the sites of neuron-to-neuron communication and form the basis of the neural circuits that underlie all animal cognition and behavior. Chemical synapses are specialized asymmetric junctions between a presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic target that form through a series of diverse cellular and subcellular events under the control of complex signaling networks. Once established, the synapse facilitates neurotransmission by mediating the organization and fusion of synaptic vesicles and must also retain the ability to undergo plastic changes. In recent years, synaptic genes have been implicated in a wide array of neurodevelopmental disorders; the individual and societal burdens imposed by these disorders, as well as the lack of effective therapies, motivates continued work on fundamental synapse biology. The properties and functions of the nervous system are remarkably conserved across animal phyla, and many insights into the synapses of the vertebrate central nervous system have been derived from studies of invertebrate models. A prominent model synapse is the Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junction, which bears striking similarities to the glutamatergic synapses of the vertebrate brain and spine; further advantages include the simplicity and experimental versatility of the fly, as well as its century-long history as a model organism. Here, we survey findings on the major events in synaptogenesis, including target specification, morphogenesis, and the assembly and maturation of synaptic specializations, with a emphasis on work conducted at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian T Chou
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Seth A Johnson
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - David Van Vactor
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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24
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LaBella ML, Hujber EJ, Moore KA, Rawson RL, Merrill SA, Allaire PD, Ailion M, Hollien J, Bastiani MJ, Jorgensen EM. Casein Kinase 1δ Stabilizes Mature Axons by Inhibiting Transcription Termination of Ankyrin. Dev Cell 2020; 52:88-103.e18. [PMID: 31910362 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
After axon outgrowth and synapse formation, the nervous system transitions to a stable architecture. In C. elegans, this transition is marked by the appearance of casein kinase 1δ (CK1δ) in the nucleus. In CK1δ mutants, neurons continue to sprout growth cones into adulthood, leading to a highly ramified nervous system. Nervous system architecture in these mutants is completely restored by suppressor mutations in ten genes involved in transcription termination. CK1δ prevents termination by phosphorylating and inhibiting SSUP-72. SSUP-72 would normally remodel the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase in anticipation of termination. The antitermination activity of CK1δ establishes the mature state of a neuron by promoting the expression of the long isoform of a single gene, the cytoskeleton protein Ankyrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L LaBella
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Edward J Hujber
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kristin A Moore
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Randi L Rawson
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sean A Merrill
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Patrick D Allaire
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Michael Ailion
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Julie Hollien
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Erik M Jorgensen
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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25
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Thompson-Peer KL. Casein Kinase 1δ Triggers Giant Ankyrin Expression. Dev Cell 2020; 52:4-5. [PMID: 31951555 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
During development, neurons form growth cones and neurites, but later reduce these activities to maintain a stable architecture. In this issue of Developmental Cell, LaBella et al. demonstrate that CK1δ plays a key role in winding down developmental processes exclusively by regulating poly(A) site choice to promote giant Ankyrin isoform expression.
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26
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Presynaptic Homeostasis Opposes Disease Progression in Mouse Models of ALS-Like Degeneration: Evidence for Homeostatic Neuroprotection. Neuron 2020; 107:95-111.e6. [PMID: 32380032 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Progressive synapse loss is an inevitable and insidious part of age-related neurodegenerative disease. Typically, synapse loss precedes symptoms of cognitive and motor decline. This suggests the existence of compensatory mechanisms that can temporarily counteract the effects of ongoing neurodegeneration. Here, we demonstrate that presynaptic homeostatic plasticity (PHP) is induced at degenerating neuromuscular junctions, mediated by an evolutionarily conserved activity of presynaptic ENaC channels in both Drosophila and mouse. To assess the consequence of eliminating PHP in a mouse model of ALS-like degeneration, we generated a motoneuron-specific deletion of Scnn1a, encoding the ENaC channel alpha subunit. We show that Scnn1a is essential for PHP without adversely affecting baseline neural function or lifespan. However, Scnn1a knockout in a degeneration-causing mutant background accelerated motoneuron loss and disease progression to twice the rate observed in littermate controls with intact PHP. We propose a model of neuroprotective homeostatic plasticity, extending organismal lifespan and health span.
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27
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He L, Kooistra R, Das R, Oudejans E, van Leen E, Ziegler J, Portegies S, de Haan B, van Regteren Altena A, Stucchi R, Altelaar AM, Wieser S, Krieg M, Hoogenraad CC, Harterink M. Cortical anchoring of the microtubule cytoskeleton is essential for neuron polarity. eLife 2020; 9:55111. [PMID: 32293562 PMCID: PMC7159925 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of a polarized neuron relies on the selective transport of proteins to axons and dendrites. Although it is well known that the microtubule cytoskeleton has a central role in establishing neuronal polarity, how its specific organization is established and maintained is poorly understood. Using the in vivo model system Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that the highly conserved UNC-119 protein provides a link between the membrane-associated Ankyrin (UNC-44) and the microtubule-associated CRMP (UNC-33). Together they form a periodic membrane-associated complex that anchors axonal and dendritic microtubule bundles to the cortex. This anchoring is critical to maintain microtubule organization by opposing kinesin-1 powered microtubule sliding. Disturbing this molecular complex alters neuronal polarity and causes strong developmental defects of the nervous system leading to severely paralyzed animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu He
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Robbelien Kooistra
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ravi Das
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ellen Oudejans
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Eric van Leen
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Johannes Ziegler
- Fast live-cell superresolution microscopy, ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sybren Portegies
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Bart de Haan
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anna van Regteren Altena
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Stucchi
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Af Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stefan Wieser
- Fast live-cell superresolution microscopy, ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Casper C Hoogenraad
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, United States
| | - Martin Harterink
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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28
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Sytnyk V, Fath T. Editorial: From Structure to Function - The Interplay Between Cell Adhesion Molecules and the Cytoskeleton. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:104. [PMID: 32158756 PMCID: PMC7051915 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Sytnyk
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas Fath
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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29
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McNeill EM, Warinner C, Alkins S, Taylor A, Heggeness H, DeLuca TF, Fulga TA, Wall DP, Griffith LC, Van Vactor D. The conserved microRNA miR-34 regulates synaptogenesis via coordination of distinct mechanisms in presynaptic and postsynaptic cells. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1092. [PMID: 32107390 PMCID: PMC7046720 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14761-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Micro(mi)RNA-based post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms have been broadly implicated in the assembly and modulation of synaptic connections required to shape neural circuits, however, relatively few specific miRNAs have been identified that control synapse formation. Using a conditional transgenic toolkit for competitive inhibition of miRNA function in Drosophila, we performed an unbiased screen for novel regulators of synapse morphogenesis at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). From a set of ten new validated regulators of NMJ growth, we discovered that miR-34 mutants display synaptic phenotypes and cell type-specific functions suggesting distinct downstream mechanisms in the presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments. A search for conserved downstream targets for miR-34 identified the junctional receptor CNTNAP4/Neurexin-IV (Nrx-IV) and the membrane cytoskeletal effector Adducin/Hu-li tai shao (Hts) as proteins whose synaptic expression is restricted by miR-34. Manipulation of miR-34, Nrx-IV or Hts-M function in motor neurons or muscle supports a model where presynaptic miR-34 inhibits Nrx-IV to influence active zone formation, whereas, postsynaptic miR-34 inhibits Hts to regulate the initiation of bouton formation from presynaptic terminals. Although micro(mi)RNA-based post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms have been implicated in the assembly and modulation of synaptic connections, few miRNAs have been identified that control synapse formation. Here, authors performed an unbiased screen for novel regulators of synapse morphogenesis at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction and discovered that miR-34 inhibits Nrx-IV to influence active zone formation, whereas, postsynaptic miR-34 inhibits Hts to regulate the initiation of bouton formation from presynaptic terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M McNeill
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Chloe Warinner
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Stephen Alkins
- Department of Biology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Alicia Taylor
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Hansine Heggeness
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Todd F DeLuca
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tudor A Fulga
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Weatherall Institute, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Dennis P Wall
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Systems Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Leslie C Griffith
- Department of Biology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - David Van Vactor
- Department of Cell Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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30
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Badawi Y, Nishimune H. Super-resolution microscopy for analyzing neuromuscular junctions and synapses. Neurosci Lett 2020; 715:134644. [PMID: 31765730 PMCID: PMC6937598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy techniques offer subdiffraction limited resolution that is two- to ten-fold improved compared to that offered by conventional confocal microscopy. This breakthrough in resolution for light microscopy has contributed to new findings in neuroscience and synapse biology. This review will focus on the Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, and Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) / Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques and compare them for the better understanding of their differences and their suitability for the analysis of synapse biology. In addition, we will discuss a few practical aspects of these microscopic techniques, including resolution, image acquisition speed, multicolor capability, and other advantages and disadvantages. Tips for the improvement of microscopy will be introduced; for example, information resources for recommended dyes, the limitations of multicolor analysis, and capabilities for live imaging. In addition, we will summarize how super-resolution microscopy has been used for analyses of neuromuscular junctions and synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yomna Badawi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Hiroshi Nishimune
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
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31
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Drosophila Tau Negatively Regulates Translation and Olfactory Long-Term Memory, But Facilitates Footshock Habituation and Cytoskeletal Homeostasis. J Neurosci 2019; 39:8315-8329. [PMID: 31488613 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0391-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the involvement of pathological tau in neurodegenerative dementias is indisputable, its physiological roles have remained elusive in part because its abrogation has been reported without overt phenotypes in mice and Drosophila This was addressed using the recently described Drosophila tauKO and Mi{MIC} mutants and focused on molecular and behavioral analyses. Initially, we show that Drosophila tau (dTau) loss precipitates dynamic cytoskeletal changes in the adult Drosophila CNS and translation upregulation. Significantly, we demonstrate for the first time distinct roles for dTau in adult mushroom body (MB)-dependent neuroplasticity as its downregulation within α'β'neurons impairs habituation. In accord with its negative regulation of translation, dTau loss specifically enhances protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (PSD-LTM), but not anesthesia-resistant memory. In contrast, elevation of the protein in the MBs yielded premature habituation and depressed PSD-LTM. Therefore, tau loss in Drosophila dynamically alters brain cytoskeletal dynamics and profoundly affects neuronal proteostasis and plasticity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We demonstrate that despite modest sequence divergence, the Drosophila tau (dTau) is a true vertebrate tau ortholog as it interacts with the neuronal microtubule and actin cytoskeleton. Novel physiological roles for dTau in regulation of translation, long-term memory, and footshock habituation are also revealed. These emerging insights on tau physiological functions are invaluable for understanding the molecular pathways and processes perturbed in tauopathies.
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32
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Weber T, Stephan R, Moreno E, Pielage J. The Ankyrin Repeat Domain Controls Presynaptic Localization of Drosophila Ankyrin2 and Is Essential for Synaptic Stability. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:148. [PMID: 31475145 PMCID: PMC6703079 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The structural integrity of synaptic connections critically depends on the interaction between synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and the underlying actin and microtubule cytoskeleton. This interaction is mediated by giant Ankyrins, that act as specialized adaptors to establish and maintain axonal and synaptic compartments. In Drosophila, two giant isoforms of Ankyrin2 (Ank2) control synapse stability and organization at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Both Ank2-L and Ank2-XL are highly abundant in motoneuron axons and within the presynaptic terminal, where they control synaptic CAMs distribution and organization of microtubules. Here, we address the role of the conserved N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain (ARD) for subcellular localization and function of these giant Ankyrins in vivo. We used a P[acman] based rescue approach to generate deletions of ARD subdomains, that contain putative binding sites of interacting transmembrane proteins. We show that specific subdomains control synaptic but not axonal localization of Ank2-L. These domains contain binding sites to L1-family member CAMs, and we demonstrate that these regions are necessary for the organization of synaptic CAMs and for the control of synaptic stability. In contrast, presynaptic Ank2-XL localization only partially depends on the ARD but strictly requires the presynaptic presence of Ank2-L demonstrating a critical co-dependence of the two isoforms at the NMJ. Ank2-XL dependent control of microtubule organization correlates with presynaptic abundance of the protein and is thus only partially affected by ARD deletions. Together, our data provides novel insights into the synaptic targeting of giant Ankyrins with relevance for the control of synaptic plasticity and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Weber
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Raiko Stephan
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eliza Moreno
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Pielage
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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33
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Higham JP, Malik BR, Buhl E, Dawson JM, Ogier AS, Lunnon K, Hodge JJL. Alzheimer's Disease Associated Genes Ankyrin and Tau Cause Shortened Lifespan and Memory Loss in Drosophila. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:260. [PMID: 31244615 PMCID: PMC6581016 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau, including the 0N4R isoform and accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. However, less than 5% of AD cases are familial, with many additional risk factors contributing to AD including aging, lifestyle, the environment and epigenetics. Recent epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of AD have identified a number of loci that are differentially methylated in the AD cortex. Indeed, hypermethylation and reduced expression of the Ankyrin 1 (ANK1) gene in AD has been reported in the cortex in numerous different post-mortem brain cohorts. Little is known about the normal function of ANK1 in the healthy brain, nor the role it may play in AD. We have generated Drosophila models to allow us to functionally characterize Drosophila Ank2, the ortholog of human ANK1 and to determine its interaction with human Tau and Aβ. We show expression of human Tau 0N4R or the oligomerizing Aβ 42 amino acid peptide caused shortened lifespan, degeneration, disrupted movement, memory loss, and decreased excitability of memory neurons with co-expression tending to make the pathology worse. We find that Drosophila with reduced neuronal Ank2 expression have shortened lifespan, reduced locomotion, reduced memory and reduced neuronal excitability similar to flies overexpressing either human Tau 0N4R or Aβ42. Therefore, we show that the mis-expression of Ank2 can drive disease relevant processes and phenocopy some features of AD. Therefore, we propose targeting human ANK1 may have therapeutic potential. This represents the first study to characterize an AD-relevant gene nominated from EWAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Higham
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Bilal R. Malik
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Edgar Buhl
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer M. Dawson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Anna S. Ogier
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Katie Lunnon
- University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - James J. L. Hodge
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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34
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Spurrier J, Shukla AK, Buckley T, Smith-Trunova S, Kuzina I, Gu Q, Giniger E. Expression of a Fragment of Ankyrin 2 Disrupts the Structure of the Axon Initial Segment and Causes Axonal Degeneration in Drosophila. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:5689-5700. [PMID: 30666562 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1477-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative stimuli are often associated with perturbation of the axon initial segment (AIS), but it remains unclear whether AIS disruption is causative for neurodegeneration or is a downstream step in disease progression. Here, we demonstrate that either of two separate, genetically parallel pathways that disrupt the AIS induce axonal degeneration and loss of neurons in the central brain of Drosophila. Expression of a portion of the C-terminal tail of the Ank2-L isoform of Ankyrin severely shortens the AIS in Drosophila mushroom body (MB) neurons, and this shortening occurs through a mechanism that is genetically separate from the previously described Cdk5α-dependent pathway of AIS regulation. Further, either manipulation triggers morphological degeneration of MB axons and is accompanied by neuron loss. Taken together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that disruption of the AIS is causally related to degeneration of fly central brain neurons, and we suggest that similar mechanisms may contribute to neurodegeneration in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Spurrier
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair Program, Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Arvind K Shukla
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tyler Buckley
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Svetlana Smith-Trunova
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Irina Kuzina
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Qun Gu
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Edward Giniger
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 35, Rm 1C-1002, 35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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35
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Borgen MA, Giles AC, Wang D, Grill B. Synapse maintenance is impacted by ATAT-2 tubulin acetyltransferase activity and the RPM-1 signaling hub. eLife 2019; 8:44040. [PMID: 30652969 PMCID: PMC6355192 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapse formation is comprised of target cell recognition, synapse assembly, and synapse maintenance. Maintaining established synaptic connections is essential for generating functional circuitry and synapse instability is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease. While many molecules impact synapse formation generally, we know little about molecules that affect synapse maintenance in vivo. Using genetics and developmental time course analysis in C.elegans, we show that the α-tubulin acetyltransferase ATAT-2 and the signaling hub RPM-1 are required presynaptically to maintain stable synapses. Importantly, the enzymatic acetyltransferase activity of ATAT-2 is required for synapse maintenance. Our analysis revealed that RPM-1 is a hub in a genetic network composed of ATAT-2, PTRN-1 and DLK-1. In this network, ATAT-2 functions independent of the DLK-1 MAPK and likely acts downstream of RPM-1. Thus, our study reveals an important role for tubulin acetyltransferase activity in presynaptic maintenance, which occurs via the RPM-1/ATAT-2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Borgen
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Andrew C Giles
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Dandan Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Brock Grill
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
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36
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Kurochkina N, Bhaskar M, Yadav SP, Pant HC. Phosphorylation, Dephosphorylation, and Multiprotein Assemblies Regulate Dynamic Behavior of Neuronal Cytoskeleton: A Mini-Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:373. [PMID: 30349458 PMCID: PMC6186834 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular localization, assembly and abnormal aggregation of neurofilaments depend on phosphorylation. Pathological processes associated with neurodegeneration exhibit aberrant accumulation of microtubule associated aggregated forms of hyperphosphorylated neuronal protein tau in cell bodies. These processes are critical for the disease progression in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In healthy cells, tau is localized in axons. Topographic regulation suggests that whereas the sites of synthesis of kinases and neurofilaments are the cell bodies, and sites of their functional assemblies are axons, phosphorylation/dephosphorylation are the key processes that arrange the molecules at their precise locations. Phosphorylation sites in the dynamic developmental and degenerative processes differ. Not all these processes are well understood. New advancements identify epigenetic factors involved in AD which account for the influence of age-related environment/genome interactions leading to the disease. Progress in proteomics highlights previously found major proteins and adds more to the list of those involved in AD. New key elements of specificity provide determinants of molecular recognition important for the assembly of macromolecular complexes. In this review, we discuss aberrant spatial distribution of neuronal polypeptides observed in neuropathies: aggregation, association with proteins of the neuronal cytoskeleton, and phosphorylation dependent dynamics. Particularly, we emphasize recent advancements in understanding the function and determinants of specific association of molecules involved in Alzheimer's disease with respect to the topographic regulation of phosphorylation in neuronal cytoskeleton and implications for the design of new therapies. Further, we address the role of various filament systems in maintenance of the shape, rigidity and dynamics of the cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Kurochkina
- Department of Biophysics, The School of Theoretical Modeling, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Manju Bhaskar
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sharda Prasad Yadav
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Harish C. Pant
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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37
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Brusich DJ, Spring AM, James TD, Yeates CJ, Helms TH, Frank CA. Drosophila CaV2 channels harboring human migraine mutations cause synapse hyperexcitability that can be suppressed by inhibition of a Ca2+ store release pathway. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007577. [PMID: 30080864 PMCID: PMC6095605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Gain-of-function mutations in the human CaV2.1 gene CACNA1A cause familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 (FHM1). To characterize cellular problems potentially triggered by CaV2.1 gains of function, we engineered mutations encoding FHM1 amino-acid substitutions S218L (SL) and R192Q (RQ) into transgenes of Drosophila melanogaster CaV2/cacophony. We expressed the transgenes pan-neuronally. Phenotypes were mild for RQ-expressing animals. By contrast, single mutant SL- and complex allele RQ,SL-expressing animals showed overt phenotypes, including sharply decreased viability. By electrophysiology, SL- and RQ,SL-expressing neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) exhibited enhanced evoked discharges, supernumerary discharges, and an increase in the amplitudes and frequencies of spontaneous events. Some spontaneous events were gigantic (10-40 mV), multi-quantal events. Gigantic spontaneous events were eliminated by application of TTX-or by lowered or chelated Ca2+-suggesting that gigantic events were elicited by spontaneous nerve firing. A follow-up genetic approach revealed that some neuronal hyperexcitability phenotypes were reversed after knockdown or mutation of Drosophila homologs of phospholipase Cβ (PLCβ), IP3 receptor, or ryanodine receptor (RyR)-all factors known to mediate Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. Pharmacological inhibitors of intracellular Ca2+ store release produced similar effects. Interestingly, however, the decreased viability phenotype was not reversed by genetic impairment of intracellular Ca2+ release factors. On a cellular level, our data suggest inhibition of signaling that triggers intracellular Ca2+ release could counteract hyperexcitability induced by gains of CaV2.1 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J. Brusich
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Ashlyn M. Spring
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Thomas D. James
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Catherine J. Yeates
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Timothy H. Helms
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - C. Andrew Frank
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
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38
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Wang Q, Han TH, Nguyen P, Jarnik M, Serpe M. Tenectin recruits integrin to stabilize bouton architecture and regulate vesicle release at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. eLife 2018; 7:35518. [PMID: 29901439 PMCID: PMC6040883 DOI: 10.7554/elife.35518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Assembly, maintenance and function of synaptic junctions depend on extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and their receptors. Here we report that Tenectin (Tnc), a Mucin-type protein with RGD motifs, is an ECM component required for the structural and functional integrity of synaptic specializations at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in Drosophila. Using genetics, biochemistry, electrophysiology, histology and electron microscopy, we show that Tnc is secreted from motor neurons and striated muscles and accumulates in the synaptic cleft. Tnc selectively recruits αPS2/βPS integrin at synaptic terminals, but only the cis Tnc/integrin complexes appear to be biologically active. These complexes have distinct pre- and postsynaptic functions, mediated at least in part through the local engagement of the spectrin-based membrane skeleton: the presynaptic complexes control neurotransmitter release, while postsynaptic complexes ensure the size and architectural integrity of synaptic boutons. Our study reveals an unprecedented role for integrin in the synaptic recruitment of spectrin-based membrane skeleton. Nerve cells or neurons can communicate with each other by releasing chemical messengers into the gap between them, the synapse. Both neurons and synapses are surrounded by a network of proteins called the extracellular matrix, which anchors, protects and supports the synapse. The matrix also helps to regulate the dynamic communication across the synapses and consequently neurons. Little is known about the proteins of the extracellular matrix, in particular about the ones involved in structural support. This is especially important for the so-called neuromuscular junctions, where neurons stimulate muscle contraction and trigger vigorous movement. Receptor proteins on cell surfaces, such as integrins, can bind to the extracellular matrix proteins to anchor the cells and are important for all cell junctions, including synaptic junctions. But because of their many essential roles during development, it was unclear how integrins modulate the activity of the synapse. To investigate this further, Wang et al. studied the neuromuscular junctions of fruit flies. The experiments revealed that both muscle and neurons secrete a large protein called Tenectin, which accumulates into the small space between the neuron and the muscle, the synaptic cleft. This protein can bind to integrin and is necessary to support the neuromuscular junction structurally and functionally. Wang et al. discovered that Tenectin works by gathering integrins on the surface of the neuron and the muscle. In the neuron, Tenectin forms complexes with integrin to regulate the release of neurotransmitters. In the muscle, the complexes provide support to the synaptic structures. However, when Tenectin was experimentally removed, it only disrupted the integrins at the neuromuscular junction, without affecting integrins in other regions of the cells, such as the site where the muscle uses integrins to attach to the tendon. Moreover, without Tenectin an important intracellular scaffolding meshwork that lines up and reinforces cell membranes was no longer organized properly at the synapse. A next step will be to identify the missing components between Tenectin/integrin complexes on the surface of neurons and the neurotransmitter release machinery inside the cells. The extracellular matrix and its receptors play fundamental roles in the development and function of the nervous system. A better knowledge of the underlying mechanisms will help us to better understand the complex interplay between the synapse and the extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Section on Cellular Communication, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Tae Hee Han
- Section on Cellular Communication, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Peter Nguyen
- Section on Cellular Communication, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Michal Jarnik
- Section on Intracellular Protein Trafficking, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Mihaela Serpe
- Section on Cellular Communication, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
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Spectrin is a mechanoresponsive protein shaping fusogenic synapse architecture during myoblast fusion. Nat Cell Biol 2018; 20:688-698. [PMID: 29802406 PMCID: PMC6397639 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-018-0106-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spectrin is a membrane skeletal protein best known for its structural role in maintaining cell shape and protecting cells from mechanical damage. Here, we report that α/βH-spectrin (βH is also called karst) dynamically accumulates and dissolves at the fusogenic synapse between fusing Drosophila muscle cells, where an attacking fusion partner invades its receiving partner with actin-propelled protrusions to promote cell fusion. Using genetics, cell biology, biophysics and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that spectrin exhibits a mechanosensitive accumulation in response to shear deformation, which is highly elevated at the fusogenic synapse. The transiently accumulated spectrin network functions as a cellular fence to restrict the diffusion of cell adhesion molecules and a cellular sieve to constrict the invasive protrusions, thereby increasing the mechanical tension of the fusogenic synapse to promote cell membrane fusion. Our study reveals a function of spectrin as a mechanoresponsive protein and has general implications for understanding spectrin function in dynamic cellular processes.
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40
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Identification of Proteins Required for Precise Positioning of Apc2 in Dendrites. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:1841-1853. [PMID: 29602811 PMCID: PMC5940173 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila neurons, uniform minus-end-out polarity in dendrites is maintained in part by kinesin-2-mediated steering of growing microtubules at branch points. Apc links the kinesin motor to growing microtubule plus ends and Apc2 recruits Apc to branch points where it functions. Because Apc2 acts to concentrate other steering proteins to branch points, we wished to understand how Apc2 is targeted. From an initial broad candidate RNAi screen, we found Miro (a mitochondrial transport protein), Ank2, Axin, spastin and Rac1 were required to position Apc2-GFP at dendrite branch points. YFP-Ank2-L8, Axin-GFP and mitochondria also localized to branch points suggesting the screen identified relevant proteins. By performing secondary screens, we found that energy production by mitochondria was key for Apc2-GFP positioning and spastin acted upstream of mitochondria. Ank2 seems to act independently from other players, except its membrane partner, Neuroglian (Nrg). Rac1 likely acts through Arp2/3 to generate branched actin to help recruit Apc2-GFP. Axin can function in a variety of wnt signaling pathways, one of which includes heterotrimeric G proteins and Frizzleds. Knockdown of Gαs, Gαo, Fz and Fz2, reduced targeting of Apc2 and Axin to branch points. Overall our data suggest that mitochondrial energy production, Nrg/Ank2, branched actin generated by Arp2/3 and Fz/G proteins/Axin function as four modules that control localization of the microtubule regulator Apc2 to its site of action in dendrite branch points.
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41
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Smith KR, Penzes P. Ankyrins: Roles in synaptic biology and pathology. Mol Cell Neurosci 2018; 91:131-139. [PMID: 29730177 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ankyrins are broadly expressed adaptors that organize diverse membrane proteins into specialized domains and link them to the sub-membranous cytoskeleton. In neurons, ankyrins are known to have essential roles in organizing the axon initial segment and nodes of Ranvier. However, recent studies have revealed novel functions for ankyrins at synapses, where they organize and stabilize neurotransmitter receptors, modulate dendritic spine morphology and control adhesion to the presynaptic site. Ankyrin genes have also been highly associated with a range of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism, which all demonstrate overlap in their genetics, mechanisms and phenotypes. This review discusses the novel synaptic functions of ankyrin proteins in neurons, and places these exciting findings in the context of ANK genes as key neuropsychiatric disorder risk-factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine R Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Peter Penzes
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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42
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Migh E, Götz T, Földi I, Szikora S, Gombos R, Darula Z, Medzihradszky KF, Maléth J, Hegyi P, Sigrist S, Mihály J. Microtubule organization in presynaptic boutons relies on the formin DAAM. Development 2018; 145:dev.158519. [PMID: 29487108 DOI: 10.1242/dev.158519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of the cytoskeleton is fundamental to the development and function of synaptic terminals, such as neuromuscular junctions. Despite the identification of numerous proteins that regulate synaptic actin and microtubule dynamics, the mechanisms of cytoskeletal control during terminal arbor formation have remained largely elusive. Here, we show that DAAM, a member of the formin family of cytoskeleton organizing factors, is an important presynaptic regulator of neuromuscular junction development in Drosophila We demonstrate that the actin filament assembly activity of DAAM plays a negligible role in terminal formation; rather, DAAM is necessary for synaptic microtubule organization. Genetic interaction studies consistently link DAAM with the Wg/Ank2/Futsch module of microtubule regulation and bouton formation. Finally, we provide evidence that DAAM is tightly associated with the synaptic active zone scaffold, and electrophysiological data point to a role in the modulation of synaptic vesicle release. Based on these results, we propose that DAAM is an important cytoskeletal effector element of the Wg/Ank2 pathway involved in the determination of basic synaptic structures, and, additionally, that DAAM may couple the active zone scaffold to the presynaptic cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ede Migh
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - Torsten Götz
- Institut für Biologie/Genetik and NeuroCure, Freie Universitat Berlin, Takustrasse 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - István Földi
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - Szilárd Szikora
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - Rita Gombos
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Darula
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - Katalin F Medzihradszky
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
| | - József Maléth
- MTA-SZTE Translational Gastroenterology Research Group, Szeged H-6725, Hungary
| | - Péter Hegyi
- MTA-SZTE Translational Gastroenterology Research Group, Szeged H-6725, Hungary.,Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Pecs, Pécs H-7624, Hungary
| | - Stephan Sigrist
- Institut für Biologie/Genetik and NeuroCure, Freie Universitat Berlin, Takustrasse 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - József Mihály
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, MTA-SZBK NAP B Axon Growth and Regeneration Group, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
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43
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Hauswirth AG, Ford KJ, Wang T, Fetter RD, Tong A, Davis GW. A postsynaptic PI3K-cII dependent signaling controller for presynaptic homeostatic plasticity. eLife 2018; 7:31535. [PMID: 29303480 PMCID: PMC5773188 DOI: 10.7554/elife.31535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Presynaptic homeostatic plasticity stabilizes information transfer at synaptic connections in organisms ranging from insect to human. By analogy with principles of engineering and control theory, the molecular implementation of PHP is thought to require postsynaptic signaling modules that encode homeostatic sensors, a set point, and a controller that regulates transsynaptic negative feedback. The molecular basis for these postsynaptic, homeostatic signaling elements remains unknown. Here, an electrophysiology-based screen of the Drosophila kinome and phosphatome defines a postsynaptic signaling platform that includes a required function for PI3K-cII, PI3K-cIII and the small GTPase Rab11 during the rapid and sustained expression of PHP. We present evidence that PI3K-cII localizes to Golgi-derived, clathrin-positive vesicles and is necessary to generate an endosomal pool of PI(3)P that recruits Rab11 to recycling endosomal membranes. A morphologically distinct subdivision of this platform concentrates postsynaptically where we propose it functions as a homeostatic controller for retrograde, trans-synaptic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna G Hauswirth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Kevin J Ford
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Richard D Fetter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Amy Tong
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Graeme W Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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44
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Dammalli M, Dey G, Kumar M, Madugundu AK, Gopalakrishnan L, Gowrishankar BS, Mahadevan A, Shankar SK, Prasad TSK. Proteomics of the Human Olfactory Tract. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 22:77-87. [DOI: 10.1089/omi.2017.0155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manjunath Dammalli
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru, India
| | - Gourav Dey
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Center, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, India
- School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Manish Kumar
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Anil K. Madugundu
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | - Lathika Gopalakrishnan
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Center, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, India
- School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | | | - Anita Mahadevan
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
- Human Brain Tissue Repository, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Susarla Krishna Shankar
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
- Human Brain Tissue Repository, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Thottethodi Subrahmanya Keshava Prasad
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Center, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, India
- NIMHANS-IOB Proteomics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
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45
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Dendritic Cytoskeletal Architecture Is Modulated by Combinatorial Transcriptional Regulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2017; 207:1401-1421. [PMID: 29025914 PMCID: PMC5714456 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) have emerged as essential cell autonomous mediators of subtype specific dendritogenesis; however, the downstream effectors of these TFs remain largely unknown, as are the cellular events that TFs control to direct morphological change. As dendritic morphology is largely dictated by the organization of the actin and microtubule (MT) cytoskeletons, elucidating TF-mediated cytoskeletal regulatory programs is key to understanding molecular control of diverse dendritic morphologies. Previous studies in Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated that the conserved TFs Cut and Knot exert combinatorial control over aspects of dendritic cytoskeleton development, promoting actin and MT-based arbor morphology, respectively. To investigate transcriptional targets of Cut and/or Knot regulation, we conducted systematic neurogenomic studies, coupled with in vivo genetic screens utilizing multi-fluor cytoskeletal and membrane marker reporters. These analyses identified a host of putative Cut and/or Knot effector molecules, and a subset of these putative TF targets converge on modulating dendritic cytoskeletal architecture, which are grouped into three major phenotypic categories, based upon neuromorphometric analyses: complexity enhancer, complexity shifter, and complexity suppressor. Complexity enhancer genes normally function to promote higher order dendritic growth and branching with variable effects on MT stabilization and F-actin organization, whereas complexity shifter and complexity suppressor genes normally function in regulating proximal-distal branching distribution or in restricting higher order branching complexity, respectively, with spatially restricted impacts on the dendritic cytoskeleton. Collectively, we implicate novel genes and cellular programs by which TFs distinctly and combinatorially govern dendritogenesis via cytoskeletal modulation.
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46
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Structural basis for high-affinity actin binding revealed by a β-III-spectrin SCA5 missense mutation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1350. [PMID: 29116080 PMCID: PMC5676748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01367-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the cytoskeletal protein β-III-spectrin. Previously, a SCA5 mutation resulting in a leucine-to-proline substitution (L253P) in the actin-binding domain (ABD) was shown to cause a 1000-fold increase in actin-binding affinity. However, the structural basis for this increase is unknown. Here, we report a 6.9 Å cryo-EM structure of F-actin complexed with the L253P ABD. This structure, along with co-sedimentation and pulsed-EPR measurements, demonstrates that high-affinity binding caused by the CH2-localized mutation is due to opening of the two CH domains. This enables CH1 to bind actin aided by an unstructured N-terminal region that becomes α-helical upon binding. This helix is required for association with actin as truncation eliminates binding. Collectively, these results shed light on the mechanism by which β-III-spectrin, and likely similar actin-binding proteins, interact with actin, and how this mechanism can be perturbed to cause disease.
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47
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Manole A, Jaunmuktane Z, Hargreaves I, Ludtmann MHR, Salpietro V, Bello OD, Pope S, Pandraud A, Horga A, Scalco RS, Li A, Ashokkumar B, Lourenço CM, Heales S, Horvath R, Chinnery PF, Toro C, Singleton AB, Jacques TS, Abramov AY, Muntoni F, Hanna MG, Reilly MM, Revesz T, Kullmann DM, Jepson JEC, Houlden H. Clinical, pathological and functional characterization of riboflavin-responsive neuropathy. Brain 2017; 140:2820-2837. [PMID: 29053833 PMCID: PMC5808726 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awx231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome represents a phenotypic spectrum of motor, sensory, and cranial nerve neuropathy, often with ataxia, optic atrophy and respiratory problems leading to ventilator-dependence. Loss-of-function mutations in two riboflavin transporter genes, SLC52A2 and SLC52A3, have recently been linked to Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome. However, the genetic frequency, neuropathology and downstream consequences of riboflavin transporter mutations are unclear. By screening a large cohort of 132 patients with early-onset severe sensory, motor and cranial nerve neuropathy we confirmed the strong genetic link between riboflavin transporter mutations and Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome, identifying 22 pathogenic mutations in SLC52A2 and SLC52A3, 14 of which were novel. Brain and spinal cord neuropathological examination of two cases with SLC52A3 mutations showed classical symmetrical brainstem lesions resembling pathology seen in mitochondrial disease, including severe neuronal loss in the lower cranial nerve nuclei, anterior horns and corresponding nerves, atrophy of the spinothalamic and spinocerebellar tracts and posterior column–medial lemniscus pathways. Mitochondrial dysfunction has previously been implicated in an array of neurodegenerative disorders. Since riboflavin metabolites are critical components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, we hypothesized that reduced riboflavin transport would result in impaired mitochondrial activity, and confirmed this using in vitro and in vivo models. Electron transport chain complex I and complex II activity were decreased in SLC52A2 patient fibroblasts, while global knockdown of the single Drosophila melanogaster riboflavin transporter homologue revealed reduced levels of riboflavin, downstream metabolites, and electron transport chain complex I activity. This in turn led to abnormal mitochondrial membrane potential, respiratory chain activity and morphology. Riboflavin transporter knockdown in Drosophila also resulted in severely impaired locomotor activity and reduced lifespan, mirroring patient pathology, and these phenotypes could be partially rescued using a novel esterified derivative of riboflavin. Our findings expand the genetic, clinical and neuropathological features of Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome, implicate mitochondrial dysfunction as a downstream consequence of riboflavin transporter gene defects, and validate riboflavin esters as a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Manole
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Division of Neuropathology and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Iain Hargreaves
- Neurometabolic Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Marthe H R Ludtmann
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Oscar D Bello
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Simon Pope
- Neurometabolic Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Amelie Pandraud
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Alejandro Horga
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Renata S Scalco
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Abi Li
- Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Balasubramaniem Ashokkumar
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,School of Biotechnology, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Charles M Lourenço
- Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Simon Heales
- Chemical Pathology, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, UK
| | - Rita Horvath
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Patrick F Chinnery
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.,MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Camilo Toro
- NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, Common Fund, Office of the Director, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Thomas S Jacques
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Andrey Y Abramov
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Michael G Hanna
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Mary M Reilly
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Tamas Revesz
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Reta Lila Weston Institute of Neurological Studies and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Dimitri M Kullmann
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - James E C Jepson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Laboratory, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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48
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β-III-spectrin spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 mutation reveals a dominant cytoskeletal mechanism that underlies dendritic arborization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E9376-E9385. [PMID: 29078305 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707108114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5) L253P mutation in the actin-binding domain (ABD) of β-III-spectrin causes high-affinity actin binding and decreased thermal stability in vitro. Here we show in mammalian cells, at physiological temperature, that the mutant ABD retains high-affinity actin binding. Significantly, we provide evidence that the mutation alters the mobility and recruitment of β-III-spectrin in mammalian cells, pointing to a potential disease mechanism. To explore this mechanism, we developed a Drosophila SCA5 model in which an equivalent mutant Drosophila β-spectrin is expressed in neurons that extend complex dendritic arbors, such as Purkinje cells, targeted in SCA5 pathogenesis. The mutation causes a proximal shift in arborization coincident with decreased β-spectrin localization in distal dendrites. We show that SCA5 β-spectrin dominantly mislocalizes α-spectrin and ankyrin-2, components of the endogenous spectrin cytoskeleton. Our data suggest that high-affinity actin binding by SCA5 β-spectrin interferes with spectrin-actin cytoskeleton dynamics, leading to a loss of a cytoskeletal mechanism in distal dendrites required for dendrite stabilization and arbor outgrowth.
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Praschberger R, Lowe SA, Malintan NT, Giachello CNG, Patel N, Houlden H, Kullmann DM, Baines RA, Usowicz MM, Krishnakumar SS, Hodge JJL, Rothman JE, Jepson JEC. Mutations in Membrin/GOSR2 Reveal Stringent Secretory Pathway Demands of Dendritic Growth and Synaptic Integrity. Cell Rep 2017; 21:97-109. [PMID: 28978487 PMCID: PMC5640804 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the Golgi SNARE (SNAP [soluble NSF attachment protein] receptor) protein Membrin (encoded by the GOSR2 gene) cause progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME). Membrin is a ubiquitous and essential protein mediating ER-to-Golgi membrane fusion. Thus, it is unclear how mutations in Membrin result in a disorder restricted to the nervous system. Here, we use a multi-layered strategy to elucidate the consequences of Membrin mutations from protein to neuron. We show that the pathogenic mutations cause partial reductions in SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Importantly, these alterations were sufficient to profoundly impair dendritic growth in Drosophila models of GOSR2-PME. Furthermore, we show that Membrin mutations cause fragmentation of the presynaptic cytoskeleton coupled with transsynaptic instability and hyperactive neurotransmission. Our study highlights how dendritic growth is vulnerable even to subtle secretory pathway deficits, uncovers a role for Membrin in synaptic function, and provides a comprehensive explanatory basis for genotype-phenotype relationships in GOSR2-PME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Praschberger
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Simon A Lowe
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nancy T Malintan
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Carlo N G Giachello
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nian Patel
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Dimitri M Kullmann
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Richard A Baines
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Maria M Usowicz
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James J L Hodge
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - James E Rothman
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James E C Jepson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
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50
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Bykhovskaia M, Vasin A. Electrophysiological analysis of synaptic transmission in Drosophila. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2017; 6:10.1002/wdev.277. [PMID: 28544556 PMCID: PMC5980642 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic transmission is dynamic, plastic, and highly regulated. Drosophila is an advantageous model system for genetic and molecular studies of presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms and plasticity. Electrical recordings of synaptic responses represent a wide-spread approach to study neuronal signaling and synaptic transmission. We discuss experimental techniques that allow monitoring synaptic transmission in Drosophila neuromuscular and central systems. Recordings of synaptic potentials or currents at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are most common and provide numerous technical advantages due to robustness of the preparation, large and identifiable muscles, and synaptic boutons which can be readily visualized. In particular, focal macropatch recordings combined with the analysis of neurosecretory quanta enable rigorous quantification of the magnitude and kinetics of transmitter release. Patch-clamp recordings of synaptic transmission from the embryonic NMJ enable overcoming the problem of lethality in mutant lines. Recordings from the adult NMJ proved instrumental in the studies of temperature-sensitive paralytic mutants. Genetic studies of behavioral learning in Drosophila compel an investigation of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS), including primary cultured neurons and an intact brain. Cholinergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission has been recorded from the Drosophila CNS both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo patch-clamp recordings of synaptic transmission from the neurons in the olfactory pathway is a very powerful approach, which has a potential to elucidate how synaptic transmission is associated with behavioral learning. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, 6:e277. doi: 10.1002/wdev.277 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Vasin
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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