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Porto MB, Castro GDME, Pereira SSS, Uchoa EMGS, Zatarin R, Minasi LB, da Cruz AD. c.1103T>C (p.Ile368Th) de novo Variant in Synaptotagmin 1 ( SYT1) Gene is Pathogenic, Leading to an Ultra-Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorder: The Baker-Gordon Syndrome. Int Med Case Rep J 2024; 17:63-70. [PMID: 38283597 PMCID: PMC10822096 DOI: 10.2147/imcrj.s448555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Baker-Gordon Syndrome (BAGOS) is a genetically determined 4 (NDD), represented by a phenotypic spectrum of moderate to severe intellectual disability, resulting from mutations in the synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1) gene. Its prevalence is estimated at 1:1,000,000 and the known gene variants have indicated complete penetrance with variable expressivity. SYT1 is a membrane trafficking protein in presynaptic vesicles, which exerts a complex influence on synaptic transmission, with fundamental roles in the release of neurotransmitters and facilitators of endocytosis, impacting both neurotransmission and neuron plasticity. The current case report describes the first Brazilian male patient diagnosed at 17-year-old, and the 39th reported case globally using whole-exome sequencing. A de novo heterozygous missense mutation at chr12q:79448958 (NM_005639.2; c.1103T>C; p.Ile368Thr) in the SYT1 was found and classified as a pathogenic variant. The proband's clinical phenotype was compatible with BAGOS, involving behavioral changes such as irritability and severe intellectual disability. Knowledge about the mechanism of action and the extent of the genotypic and phenotypic presentations of the mutations in the SYT1 is still unfolding. Thus, we aimed to describe additional genotype-phenotype correlation for BAGOS, contributing to the expansion of the existing knowledge of such a heterogeneous ultra-rare syndrome, and, therefore, improve its diagnostic yield, case management, and therapeutic journey for future patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Barbosa Porto
- Graduate Program in Genetics, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Geovanna da Mata e Castro
- Graduate Program in Genetics, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | | | - Raffael Zatarin
- Clinical Genetics Service, Center for Rehabilitation and Readaptation Dr. Henrique Santillo, State Health Secretary of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Lysa Bernardes Minasi
- Graduate Program in Genetics, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Aparecido D da Cruz
- Graduate Program in Genetics, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Federal University of Goiás, Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
- Clinical Genetics Service, Center for Rehabilitation and Readaptation Dr. Henrique Santillo, State Health Secretary of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
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Norman CA, Krishnakumar SS, Timofeeva Y, Volynski KE. The release of inhibition model reproduces kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release in central synapses. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1091. [PMID: 37891212 PMCID: PMC10611806 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05445-2] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium-evoked release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles (SVs) is catalysed by SNARE proteins. The predominant view is that, at rest, complete assembly of SNARE complexes is inhibited ('clamped') by synaptotagmin and complexin molecules. Calcium binding by synaptotagmins releases this fusion clamp and triggers fast SV exocytosis. However, this model has not been quantitatively tested over physiological timescales. Here we describe an experimentally constrained computational modelling framework to quantitatively assess how the molecular architecture of the fusion clamp affects SV exocytosis. Our results argue that the 'release-of-inhibition' model can indeed account for fast calcium-activated SV fusion, and that dual binding of synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 to the same SNARE complex enables synergistic regulation of the kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release. The developed framework provides a powerful and adaptable tool to link the molecular biochemistry of presynaptic proteins to physiological data and efficiently test the plausibility of calcium-activated neurotransmitter release models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Norman
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics for Real-World Systems Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Neurology, Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Yulia Timofeeva
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Kirill E Volynski
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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3
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Kwok E, Otto SC, Khuu P, Carpenter AP, Codding SJ, Reardon PN, Vanegas J, Kumar TM, Kuykendall CJ, Mehl RA, Baio J, Johnson CP. The Dysferlin C2A Domain Binds PI(4,5)P2 and Penetrates Membranes. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168193. [PMID: 37406927 PMCID: PMC10699586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168193] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Dysferlin is a large membrane protein found most prominently in striated muscle. Loss of dysferlin activity is associated with reduced exocytosis, abnormal intracellular Ca2+ and the muscle diseases limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and Miyoshi myopathy. The cytosolic region of dysferlin consists of seven C2 domains with mutations in the C2A domain at the N-terminus resulting in pathology. Despite the importance of Ca2+ and membrane binding activities of the C2A domain for dysferlin function, the mechanism of the domain remains poorly characterized. In this study we find that the C2A domain preferentially binds membranes containing PI(4,5)P2 through an interaction mediated by residues Y23, K32, K33, and R77 on the concave face of the domain. We also found that subsequent to membrane binding, the C2A domain inserts residues on the Ca2+ binding loops into the membrane. Analysis of solution NMR measurements indicate that the domain inhabits two distinct structural states, with Ca2+ shifting the population between states towards a more rigid structure with greater affinity for PI(4,5)P2. Based on our results, we propose a mechanism where Ca2+ converts C2A from a structurally dynamic, low PI(4,5)P2 affinity state to a high affinity state that targets dysferlin to PI(4,5)P2 enriched membranes through interaction with Tyr23, K32, K33, and R77. Binding also involves changes in lipid packing and insertion by the third Ca2+ binding loop of the C2 domain into the membrane, which would contribute to dysferlin function in exocytosis and Ca2+ regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethiene Kwok
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Shauna C Otto
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Patricia Khuu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Andrew P Carpenter
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Sara J Codding
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | | | - Juan Vanegas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Tanushri M Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Chapman J Kuykendall
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Joe Baio
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Colin P Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
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Uzay B, Kavalali ET. Genetic disorders of neurotransmitter release machinery. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1148957. [PMID: 37066095 PMCID: PMC10102358 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1148957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic neurotransmitter release is an evolutionarily conserved process that mediates rapid information transfer between neurons as well as several peripheral tissues. Release of neurotransmitters are ensured by successive events such as synaptic vesicle docking and priming that prepare synaptic vesicles for rapid fusion. These events are orchestrated by interaction of different presynaptic proteins and are regulated by presynaptic calcium. Recent studies have identified various mutations in different components of neurotransmitter release machinery resulting in aberrant neurotransmitter release, which underlie a wide spectrum of psychiatric and neurological symptoms. Here, we review how these genetic alterations in different components of the core neurotransmitter release machinery affect the information transfer between neurons and how aberrant synaptic release affects nervous system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burak Uzay
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Ege T. Kavalali
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Zhou Q. Calcium Sensors of Neurotransmitter Release. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 33:119-138. [PMID: 37615865 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-34229-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) plays a critical role in triggering all three primary modes of neurotransmitter release (synchronous, asynchronous, and spontaneous). Synaptotagmin1, a protein with two C2 domains, is the first isoform of the synaptotagmin family that was identified and demonstrated as the primary Ca2+ sensor for synchronous neurotransmitter release. Other isoforms of the synaptotagmin family as well as other C2 proteins such as the double C2 domain protein family were found to act as Ca2+ sensors for different modes of neurotransmitter release. Major recent advances and previous data suggest a new model, release-of-inhibition, for the initiation of Ca2+-triggered synchronous neurotransmitter release. Synaptotagmin1 binds Ca2+ via its two C2 domains and relieves a primed pre-fusion machinery. Before Ca2+ triggering, synaptotagmin1 interacts Ca2+ independently with partially zippered SNARE complexes, the plasma membrane, phospholipids, and other components to form a primed pre-fusion state that is ready for fast release. However, membrane fusion is inhibited until the arrival of Ca2+ reorients the Ca2+-binding loops of the C2 domain to perturb the lipid bilayers, help bridge the membranes, and/or induce membrane curvatures, which serves as a power stroke to activate fusion. This chapter reviews the evidence supporting these models and discusses the molecular interactions that may underlie these abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangjun Zhou
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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6
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Zhu J, McDargh ZA, Li F, Krishnakumar SS, Rothman JE, O’Shaughnessy B. Synaptotagmin rings as high-sensitivity regulators of synaptic vesicle docking and fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2208337119. [PMID: 36103579 PMCID: PMC9499556 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208337119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchronous release at neuronal synapses is accomplished by a machinery that senses calcium influx and fuses the synaptic vesicle and plasma membranes to release neurotransmitters. Previous studies suggested the calcium sensor synaptotagmin (Syt) is a facilitator of vesicle docking and both a facilitator and inhibitor of fusion. On phospholipid monolayers, the Syt C2AB domain spontaneously oligomerized into rings that are disassembled by Ca2+, suggesting Syt rings may clamp fusion as membrane-separating "washers" until Ca2+-mediated disassembly triggers fusion and release [J. Wang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111, 13966-13971 (2014)].). Here, we combined mathematical modeling with experiment to measure the mechanical properties of Syt rings and to test this mechanism. Consistent with experimental results, the model quantitatively recapitulates observed Syt ring-induced dome and volcano shapes on phospholipid monolayers and predicts rings are stabilized by anionic phospholipid bilayers or bulk solution with ATP. The selected ring conformation is highly sensitive to membrane composition and bulk ATP levels, a property that may regulate vesicle docking and fusion in ATP-rich synaptic terminals. We find the Syt molecules hosted by a synaptic vesicle oligomerize into a halo, unbound from the vesicle, but in proximity to sufficiently phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-rich plasma membrane (PM) domains, the PM-bound trans Syt ring conformation is preferred. Thus, the Syt halo serves as landing gear for spatially directed docking at PIP2-rich sites that define the active zones of exocytotic release, positioning the Syt ring to clamp fusion and await calcium. Our results suggest the Syt ring is both a Ca2+-sensitive fusion clamp and a high-fidelity sensor for directed docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Zachary A. McDargh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | | | - James E. Rothman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Ben O’Shaughnessy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
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7
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Kobbersmed JRL, Berns MMM, Ditlevsen S, Sørensen JB, Walter AM. Allosteric stabilization of calcium and phosphoinositide dual binding engages several synaptotagmins in fast exocytosis. eLife 2022; 11:74810. [PMID: 35929728 PMCID: PMC9489213 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic communication relies on the fusion of synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane, which leads to neurotransmitter release. This exocytosis is triggered by brief and local elevations of intracellular Ca2+ with remarkably high sensitivity. How this is molecularly achieved is unknown. While synaptotagmins confer the Ca2+ sensitivity of neurotransmitter exocytosis, biochemical measurements reported Ca2+ affinities too low to account for synaptic function. However, synaptotagmin’s Ca2+ affinity increases upon binding the plasma membrane phospholipid PI(4,5)P2 and, vice versa, Ca2+ binding increases synaptotagmin’s PI(4,5)P2 affinity, indicating a stabilization of the Ca2+/PI(4,5)P2 dual-bound state. Here, we devise a molecular exocytosis model based on this positive allosteric stabilization and the assumptions that (1.) synaptotagmin Ca2+/PI(4,5)P2 dual binding lowers the energy barrier for vesicle fusion and that (2.) the effect of multiple synaptotagmins on the energy barrier is additive. The model, which relies on biochemically measured Ca2+/PI(4,5)P2 affinities and protein copy numbers, reproduced the steep Ca2+ dependency of neurotransmitter release. Our results indicate that each synaptotagmin engaging in Ca2+/PI(4,5)P2 dual-binding lowers the energy barrier for vesicle fusion by ~5 kBT and that allosteric stabilization of this state enables the synchronized engagement of several (typically three) synaptotagmins for fast exocytosis. Furthermore, we show that mutations altering synaptotagmin’s allosteric properties may show dominant-negative effects, even though synaptotagmins act independently on the energy barrier, and that dynamic changes of local PI(4,5)P2 (e.g. upon vesicle movement) dramatically impact synaptic responses. We conclude that allosterically stabilized Ca2+/PI(4,5)P2 dual binding enables synaptotagmins to exert their coordinated function in neurotransmission. For our brains and nervous systems to work properly, the nerve cells within them must be able to ‘talk’ to each other. They do this by releasing chemical signals called neurotransmitters which other cells can detect and respond to. Neurotransmitters are packaged in tiny membrane-bound spheres called vesicles. When a cell of the nervous system needs to send a signal to its neighbours, the vesicles fuse with the outer membrane of the cell, discharging their chemical contents for other cells to detect. The initial trigger for neurotransmitter release is a short, fast increase in the amount of calcium ions inside the signalling cell. One of the main proteins that helps regulate this process is synaptotagmin which binds to calcium and gives vesicles the signal to start unloading their chemicals. Despite acting as a calcium sensor, synaptotagmin actually has a very low affinity for calcium ions by itself, meaning that it would not be efficient for the protein to respond alone. Synpatotagmin is more likely to bind to calcium if it is attached to a molecule called PIP2, which is found in the membranes of cells The effect also occurs in reverse, as the binding of calcium to synaptotagmin increases the protein’s affinity for PIP2. However, how these three molecules – synaptotagmin, PIP2, and calcium – work together to achieve the physiological release of neurotransmitters is poorly understood. To help answer this question, Kobbersmed, Berns et al. set up a computer simulation of ‘virtual vesicles’ using available experimental data on synaptotagmin’s affinity with calcium and PIP2. In this simulation, synaptotagmin could only trigger the release of neurotransmitters when bound to both calcium and PIP2. The model also showed that each ‘complex’ of synaptotagmin/calcium/PIP2 made the vesicles more likely to fuse with the outer membrane of the cell – to the extent that only a handful of synaptotagmin molecules were needed to start neurotransmitter release from a single vesicle. These results shed new light on a biological process central to the way nerve cells communicate with each other. In the future, Kobbersmed, Berns et al. hope that this insight will help us to understand the cause of diseases where communication in the nervous system is impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janus R L Kobbersmed
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Manon M M Berns
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Susanne Ditlevsen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Alexander M Walter
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abstract
Major recent advances and previous data have led to a plausible model of how key proteins mediate neurotransmitter release. In this model, the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein (SNAP) receptor (SNARE) proteins syntaxin-1, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin form tight complexes that bring the membranes together and are crucial for membrane fusion. NSF and SNAPs disassemble SNARE complexes and ensure that fusion occurs through an exquisitely regulated pathway that starts with Munc18-1 bound to a closed conformation of syntaxin-1. Munc18-1 also binds to synaptobrevin, forming a template to assemble the SNARE complex when Munc13-1 opens syntaxin-1 while bridging the vesicle and plasma membranes. Synaptotagmin-1 and complexin bind to partially assembled SNARE complexes, likely stabilizing them and preventing fusion until Ca2+ binding to synaptotagmin-1 causes dissociation from the SNARE complex and induces interactions with phospholipids that help trigger release. Although fundamental questions remain about the mechanism of membrane fusion, these advances provide a framework to investigate the mechanisms underlying presynaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Rizo
- Departments of Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA;
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Szule JA. Hypothesis Relating the Structure, Biochemistry and Function of Active Zone Material Macromolecules at a Neuromuscular Junction. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 13:798225. [PMID: 35069169 PMCID: PMC8766674 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.798225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This report integrates knowledge of in situ macromolecular structures and synaptic protein biochemistry to propose a unified hypothesis for the regulation of certain vesicle trafficking events (i.e., docking, priming, Ca2+-triggering, and membrane fusion) that lead to neurotransmitter secretion from specialized “active zones” of presynaptic axon terminals. Advancements in electron tomography, to image tissue sections in 3D at nanometer scale resolution, have led to structural characterizations of a network of different classes of macromolecules at the active zone, called “Active Zone Material’. At frog neuromuscular junctions, the classes of Active Zone Material macromolecules “top-masts”, “booms”, “spars”, “ribs” and “pins” direct synaptic vesicle docking while “pins”, “ribs” and “pegs” regulate priming to influence Ca2+-triggering and membrane fusion. Other classes, “beams”, “steps”, “masts”, and “synaptic vesicle luminal filaments’ likely help organize and maintain the structural integrity of active zones. Extensive studies on the biochemistry that regulates secretion have led to comprehensive characterizations of the many conserved proteins universally involved in these trafficking events. Here, a hypothesis including a partial proteomic atlas of Active Zone Material is presented which considers the common roles, binding partners, physical features/structure, and relative positioning in the axon terminal of both the proteins and classes of macromolecules involved in the vesicle trafficking events. The hypothesis designates voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and Ca2+-gated K+ channels to ribs and pegs that are connected to macromolecules that span the presynaptic membrane at the active zone. SNARE proteins (Syntaxin, SNAP25, and Synaptobrevin), SNARE-interacting proteins Synaptotagmin, Munc13, Munc18, Complexin, and NSF are designated to ribs and/or pins. Rab3A and Rabphillin-3A are designated to top-masts and/or booms and/or spars. RIM, Bassoon, and Piccolo are designated to beams, steps, masts, ribs, spars, booms, and top-masts. Spectrin is designated to beams. Lastly, the luminal portions of SV2 are thought to form the bulk of the observed synaptic vesicle luminal filaments. The goal here is to help direct future studies that aim to bridge Active Zone Material structure, biochemistry, and function to ultimately determine how it regulates the trafficking events in vivo that lead to neurotransmitter secretion.
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Sauvola CW, Littleton JT. SNARE Regulatory Proteins in Synaptic Vesicle Fusion and Recycling. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:733138. [PMID: 34421538 PMCID: PMC8377282 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.733138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a universal feature of eukaryotic protein trafficking and is mediated by the soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) family. SNARE proteins embedded in opposing membranes spontaneously assemble to drive membrane fusion and cargo exchange in vitro. Evolution has generated a diverse complement of SNARE regulatory proteins (SRPs) that ensure membrane fusion occurs at the right time and place in vivo. While a core set of SNAREs and SRPs are common to all eukaryotic cells, a specialized set of SRPs within neurons confer additional regulation to synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion. Neuronal communication is characterized by precise spatial and temporal control of SNARE dynamics within presynaptic subdomains specialized for neurotransmitter release. Action potential-elicited Ca2+ influx at these release sites triggers zippering of SNAREs embedded in the SV and plasma membrane to drive bilayer fusion and release of neurotransmitters that activate downstream targets. Here we discuss current models for how SRPs regulate SNARE dynamics and presynaptic output, emphasizing invertebrate genetic findings that advanced our understanding of SRP regulation of SV cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad W Sauvola
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.,Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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11
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Maselli RA, Wei DT, Hodgson TS, Sampson JB, Vazquez J, Smith HL, Pytel P, Ferns M. Dominant and recessive congenital myasthenic syndromes caused by SYT2 mutations. Muscle Nerve 2021; 64:219-224. [PMID: 34037996 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS We studied a patient with a congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) caused by a dominant mutation in the synaptotagmin 2 gene (SYT2) and compared the clinical features of this patient with those of a previously described patient with a recessive mutation in the same gene. METHODS We performed electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies, genetic studies, muscle biopsy, microelectrode recordings and electron microscopy (EM). RESULTS Both patients presented with muscle weakness and bulbar deficits, which were worse in the recessive form. EDX studies showed presynaptic failure, which was more prominent in the recessive form. Microelectrode studies in the dominant form showed a marked reduction of the quantal content, which increased linearly with higher frequencies of nerve stimulation. The MEPP frequencies were normal at rest but increased markedly with higher frequencies of nerve stimulation. The EM demonstrated overdeveloped postsynaptic folding, and abundant endosomes, multivesicular bodies and degenerative lamellar bodies inside small nerve terminals. DISCUSSION The recessive form of CMS caused by a SYT2 mutation showed far more severe clinical manifestations than the dominant form. The pathogenesis of the dominant form likely involves a dominant-negative effect due to disruption of the dual function of synaptotagmin as a Ca2+ -sensor and modulator of synaptic vesicle exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A Maselli
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - David T Wei
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Trent S Hodgson
- Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Jacinda B Sampson
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Jessica Vazquez
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Heather L Smith
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Peter Pytel
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Ferns
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Function of Drosophila Synaptotagmins in membrane trafficking at synapses. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4335-4364. [PMID: 33619613 PMCID: PMC8164606 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03788-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Synaptotagmin (SYT) family of proteins play key roles in regulating membrane trafficking at neuronal synapses. Using both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent interactions, several SYT isoforms participate in synchronous and asynchronous fusion of synaptic vesicles (SVs) while preventing spontaneous release that occurs in the absence of stimulation. Changes in the function or abundance of the SYT1 and SYT7 isoforms alter the number and route by which SVs fuse at nerve terminals. Several SYT family members also regulate trafficking of other subcellular organelles at synapses, including dense core vesicles (DCV), exosomes, and postsynaptic vesicles. Although SYTs are linked to trafficking of multiple classes of synaptic membrane compartments, how and when they interact with lipids, the SNARE machinery and other release effectors are still being elucidated. Given mutations in the SYT family cause disorders in both the central and peripheral nervous system in humans, ongoing efforts are defining how these proteins regulate vesicle trafficking within distinct neuronal compartments. Here, we review the Drosophila SYT family and examine their role in synaptic communication. Studies in this invertebrate model have revealed key similarities and several differences with the predicted activity of their mammalian counterparts. In addition, we highlight the remaining areas of uncertainty in the field and describe outstanding questions on how the SYT family regulates membrane trafficking at nerve terminals.
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13
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Synaptotagmin-1 membrane binding is driven by the C2B domain and assisted cooperatively by the C2A domain. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18011. [PMID: 33093513 PMCID: PMC7581758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74923-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin interaction with anionic lipid (phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylinositol) containing membranes, both in the absence and presence of calcium ions (Ca2+), is critical to its central role in orchestrating neurotransmitter release. The molecular surfaces involved, namely the conserved polylysine motif in the C2B domain and Ca2+-binding aliphatic loops on both C2A and C2B domains, are known. Here we use surface force apparatus combined with systematic mutational analysis of the functional surfaces to directly measure Syt1-membrane interaction and fully map the site-binding energetics of Syt1 both in the absence and presence of Ca2+. By correlating energetics data with the molecular rearrangements measured during confinement, we find that both C2 domains cooperate in membrane binding, with the C2B domain functioning as the main energetic driver, and the C2A domain acting as a facilitator.
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14
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Melland H, Carr EM, Gordon SL. Disorders of synaptic vesicle fusion machinery. J Neurochem 2020; 157:130-164. [PMID: 32916768 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The revolution in genetic technology has ushered in a new age for our understanding of the underlying causes of neurodevelopmental, neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders, revealing that the presynaptic machinery governing synaptic vesicle fusion is compromised in many of these neurological disorders. This builds upon decades of research showing that disturbance to neurotransmitter release via toxins can cause acute neurological dysfunction. In this review, we focus on disorders of synaptic vesicle fusion caused either by toxic insult to the presynapse or alterations to genes encoding the key proteins that control and regulate fusion: the SNARE proteins (synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1 and SNAP-25), Munc18, Munc13, synaptotagmin, complexin, CSPα, α-synuclein, PRRT2 and tomosyn. We discuss the roles of these proteins and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning neurological deficits in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Melland
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Elysa M Carr
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Sarah L Gordon
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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15
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Shields MC, Bowers MR, Kramer HL, Fulcer MM, Perinet LC, Metz MJ, Reist NE. The role of the C2A domain of synaptotagmin 1 in asynchronous neurotransmitter release. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232991. [PMID: 32407359 PMCID: PMC7224543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Following nerve stimulation, there are two distinct phases of Ca2+-dependent neurotransmitter release: a fast, synchronous release phase, and a prolonged, asynchronous release phase. Each of these phases is tightly regulated and mediated by distinct mechanisms. Synaptotagmin 1 is the major Ca2+ sensor that triggers fast, synchronous neurotransmitter release upon Ca2+ binding by its C2A and C2B domains. It has also been implicated in the inhibition of asynchronous neurotransmitter release, as blocking Ca2+ binding by the C2A domain of synaptotagmin 1 results in increased asynchronous release. However, the mutation used to block Ca2+ binding in the previous experiments (aspartate to asparagine mutations, sytD-N) had the unintended side effect of mimicking Ca2+ binding, raising the possibility that the increase in asynchronous release was directly caused by ostensibly constitutive Ca2+ binding. Thus, rather than modulating an asynchronous sensor, sytD-N may be mimicking one. To directly test the C2A inhibition hypothesis, we utilized an alternate C2A mutation that we designed to block Ca2+ binding without mimicking it (an aspartate to glutamate mutation, sytD-E). Analysis of both the original sytD-N mutation and our alternate sytD-E mutation at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction showed differential effects on asynchronous release, as well as on synchronous release and the frequency of spontaneous release. Importantly, we found that asynchronous release is not increased in the sytD-E mutant. Thus, our work provides new mechanistic insight into synaptotagmin 1 function during Ca2+-evoked synaptic transmission and demonstrates that Ca2+ binding by the C2A domain of synaptotagmin 1 does not inhibit asynchronous neurotransmitter release in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory C. Shields
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Bowers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Hannah L. Kramer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - McKenzie M. Fulcer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Lara C. Perinet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Marissa J. Metz
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Noreen E. Reist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Bowers MR, Reist NE. Synaptotagmin: Mechanisms of an electrostatic switch. Neurosci Lett 2020; 722:134834. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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17
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Bowers MR, Reist NE. The C2A domain of synaptotagmin is an essential component of the calcium sensor for synaptic transmission. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228348. [PMID: 32032373 PMCID: PMC7006929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The synaptic vesicle protein, synaptotagmin, is the principle Ca2+ sensor for synaptic transmission. Ca2+ influx into active nerve terminals is translated into neurotransmitter release by Ca2+ binding to synaptotagmin’s tandem C2 domains, triggering the fast, synchronous fusion of multiple synaptic vesicles. Two hydrophobic residues, shown to mediate Ca2+-dependent membrane insertion of these C2 domains, are required for this process. Previous research suggested that one of its tandem C2 domains (C2B) is critical for fusion, while the other domain (C2A) plays only a facilitatory role. However, the function of the two hydrophobic residues in C2A have not been adequately tested in vivo. Here we show that these two hydrophobic residues are absolutely required for synaptotagmin to trigger vesicle fusion. Using in vivo electrophysiological recording at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, we found that mutation of these two key C2A hydrophobic residues almost completely abolished neurotransmitter release. Significantly, mutation of both hydrophobic residues resulted in more severe deficits than those seen in synaptotagmin null mutants. Thus, we report the most severe phenotype of a C2A mutation to date, demonstrating that the C2A domain is absolutely essential for synaptotagmin’s function as the electrostatic switch. The postulated role of synaptotagmin’s C2A domain in triggering neurotransmitter release has fluctuated wildly over the years. Early biochemical experiments suggested that the C2A domain was essential, while the C2B domain was superfluous. Then, functional experiments measuring neurotransmitter release in vivo following disruptions in Ca2+ binding suggested that C2B was essential, while C2A was superfluous. Subsequently, the use of more refined mutations to disrupt Ca2+ binding indicated that C2A played a facilitatory role. Here we show two hydrophobic residues of the C2A domain are absolutely required for synaptotagmin-triggered neurotransmitter release. Thus, after over twenty years of research, we now demonstrate that the C2A domain of synaptotagmin is an essential component of the Ca2+ sensor for triggering synaptic transmission in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Bowers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Molecular, Cellular, Integrative Neurosciences Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Noreen E. Reist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Molecular, Cellular, Integrative Neurosciences Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Synaptotagmin 1 oligomers clamp and regulate different modes of neurotransmitter release. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3819-3827. [PMID: 32015138 PMCID: PMC7035618 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920403117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Release of neurotransmitters relies on submillisecond coupling of synaptic vesicle fusion to the triggering signal: AP-evoked presynaptic Ca2+ influx. The key player that controls exocytosis of the synaptic vesicle is the Ca2+ sensor synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1). While the Ca2+ activation of Syt1 has been extensively characterized, how Syt1 reversibly clamps vesicular fusion remains enigmatic. Here, using a targeted mutation combined with fluorescence imaging and electrophysiology, we show that the structural feature of Syt1 to self-oligomerize provides the molecular basis for clamping of spontaneous and asynchronous release but is not required for triggering of synchronous release. Our findings propose a mechanistic model that explains how Syt1 oligomers regulate different modes of transmitter release in neuronal synapses. Synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) synchronizes neurotransmitter release to action potentials (APs) acting as the fast Ca2+ release sensor and as the inhibitor (clamp) of spontaneous and delayed asynchronous release. While the Syt1 Ca2+ activation mechanism has been well-characterized, how Syt1 clamps transmitter release remains enigmatic. Here we show that C2B domain-dependent oligomerization provides the molecular basis for the Syt1 clamping function. This follows from the investigation of a designed mutation (F349A), which selectively destabilizes Syt1 oligomerization. Using a combination of fluorescence imaging and electrophysiology in neocortical synapses, we show that Syt1F349A is more efficient than wild-type Syt1 (Syt1WT) in triggering synchronous transmitter release but fails to clamp spontaneous and synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7)-mediated asynchronous release components both in rescue (Syt1−/− knockout background) and dominant-interference (Syt1+/+ background) conditions. Thus, we conclude that Ca2+-sensitive Syt1 oligomers, acting as an exocytosis clamp, are critical for maintaining the balance among the different modes of neurotransmitter release.
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19
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Baker K, Gordon SL, Melland H, Bumbak F, Scott DJ, Jiang TJ, Owen D, Turner BJ, Boyd SG, Rossi M, Al-Raqad M, Elpeleg O, Peck D, Mancini GMS, Wilke M, Zollino M, Marangi G, Weigand H, Borggraefe I, Haack T, Stark Z, Sadedin S, Tan TY, Jiang Y, Gibbs RA, Ellingwood S, Amaral M, Kelley W, Kurian MA, Cousin MA, Raymond FL. SYT1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder: a case series. Brain 2019; 141:2576-2591. [PMID: 30107533 PMCID: PMC6113648 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1) is a critical mediator of fast, synchronous, calcium-dependent neurotransmitter release and also modulates synaptic vesicle endocytosis. This paper describes 11 patients with de novo heterozygous missense mutations in SYT1. All mutations alter highly conserved residues, and cluster in two regions of the SYT1 C2B domain at positions Met303 (M303K), Asp304 (D304G), Asp366 (D366E), Ile368 (I368T) and Asn371 (N371K). Phenotypic features include infantile hypotonia, congenital ophthalmic abnormalities, childhood-onset hyperkinetic movement disorders, motor stereotypies, and developmental delay varying in severity from moderate to profound. Behavioural characteristics include sleep disturbance and episodic agitation. Absence of epileptic seizures and normal orbitofrontal head circumference are important negative features. Structural MRI is unremarkable but EEG disturbance is universal, characterized by intermittent low frequency high amplitude oscillations. The functional impact of these five de novo SYT1 mutations has been assessed by expressing rat SYT1 protein containing the equivalent human variants in wild-type mouse primary hippocampal cultures. All mutant forms of SYT1 were expressed at levels approximately equal to endogenous wild-type protein, and correctly localized to nerve terminals at rest, except for SYT1M303K, which was expressed at a lower level and failed to localize at nerve terminals. Following stimulation, SYT1I368T and SYT1N371K relocalized to nerve terminals at least as efficiently as wild-type SYT1. However, SYT1D304G and SYT1D366E failed to relocalize to nerve terminals following stimulation, indicative of impairments in endocytic retrieval and trafficking of SYT1. In addition, the presence of SYT1 variants at nerve terminals induced a slowing of exocytic rate following sustained action potential stimulation. The extent of disturbance to synaptic vesicle kinetics is mirrored by the severity of the affected individuals' phenotypes, suggesting that the efficiency of SYT1-mediated neurotransmitter release is critical to cognitive development. In summary, de novo dominant SYT1 missense mutations are associated with a recognizable neurodevelopmental syndrome, and further cases can now be diagnosed based on clinical features, electrophysiological signature and mutation characteristics. Variation in phenotype severity may reflect mutation-specific impact on the diverse physiological functions of SYT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Baker
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Wellcome Trust / MRC Building, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK.,MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sarah L Gordon
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Holly Melland
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Fabian Bumbak
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel J Scott
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Tess J Jiang
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - David Owen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bradley J Turner
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Stewart G Boyd
- Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, UK
| | - Mari Rossi
- Ambry Genetics, 15 Argonaut, Aliso Viejo, CA, USA
| | - Mohammed Al-Raqad
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Queen Rania Al-Abdullah Children Hospital, King Hussein Medical Centre, Royal Medical Services, Amman, Jordan
| | - Orly Elpeleg
- Monique and Jacques Roboh Department of Genetic Research, Hadassah, Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dawn Peck
- University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Grazia M S Mancini
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Wilke
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Foundation, Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marangi
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Foundation, Roma, Italy
| | - Heike Weigand
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Medicine and Social Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner's Children's Hospital, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ingo Borggraefe
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Medicine and Social Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner's Children's Hospital, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Haack
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Zornitza Stark
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Simon Sadedin
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Tiong Yang Tan
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Yunyun Jiang
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, USA
| | - Richard A Gibbs
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, USA
| | - Sara Ellingwood
- Maine Medical Partners Pediatric Specialty Care, Congress St, Portland ME, USA
| | - Michelle Amaral
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way NW, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Whitley Kelley
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way NW, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, UK
| | - Michael A Cousin
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - F Lucy Raymond
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Wellcome Trust / MRC Building, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
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20
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Grushin K, Wang J, Coleman J, Rothman JE, Sindelar CV, Krishnakumar SS. Structural basis for the clamping and Ca 2+ activation of SNARE-mediated fusion by synaptotagmin. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2413. [PMID: 31160571 PMCID: PMC6546687 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10391-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapotagmin-1 (Syt1) interacts with both SNARE proteins and lipid membranes to synchronize neurotransmitter release to calcium (Ca2+) influx. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Syt1-SNARE complex on anionic-lipid containing membranes. Under resting conditions, the Syt1 C2 domains bind the membrane with a magnesium (Mg2+)-mediated partial insertion of the aliphatic loops, alongside weak interactions with the anionic lipid headgroups. The C2B domain concurrently interacts the SNARE bundle via the 'primary' interface and is positioned between the SNAREpins and the membrane. In this configuration, Syt1 is projected to sterically delay the complete assembly of the associated SNAREpins and thus, contribute to clamping fusion. This Syt1-SNARE organization is disrupted upon Ca2+-influx as Syt1 reorients into the membrane, likely displacing the attached SNAREpins and reversing the fusion clamp. We thus conclude that the cation (Mg2+/Ca2+) dependent membrane interaction is a key determinant of the dual clamp/activator function of Synaptotagmin-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Grushin
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jeff Coleman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - James E Rothman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Charles V Sindelar
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queens Square House, London, WC1 3BG, UK.
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21
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Synergistic control of neurotransmitter release by different members of the synaptotagmin family. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 51:154-162. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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22
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Synaptotagmin oligomerization is essential for calcium control of regulated exocytosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E7624-E7631. [PMID: 30038018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1808792115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulated exocytosis, which underlies many intercellular signaling events, is a tightly controlled process often triggered by calcium ion(s) (Ca2+). Despite considerable insight into the central components involved, namely, the core fusion machinery [soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)] and the principal Ca2+ sensor [C2-domain proteins like synaptotagmin (Syt)], the molecular mechanism of Ca2+-dependent release has been unclear. Here, we report that the Ca2+-sensitive oligomers of Syt1, a conserved structural feature among several C2-domain proteins, play a critical role in orchestrating Ca2+-coupled vesicular release. This follows from pHluorin-based imaging of single-vesicle exocytosis in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells showing that selective disruption of Syt1 oligomerization using a structure-directed mutation (F349A) dramatically increases the normally low levels of constitutive exocytosis to effectively occlude Ca2+-stimulated release. We propose a parsimonious model whereby Ca2+-sensitive oligomers of Syt (or a similar C2-domain protein) assembled at the site of docking physically block spontaneous fusion until disrupted by Ca2+ Our data further suggest Ca2+-coupled vesicular release is triggered by removal of the inhibition, rather than by direct activation of the fusion machinery.
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23
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Feng H, Khalil S, Neubig RR, Sidiropoulos C. A mechanistic review on GNAO1-associated movement disorder. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 116:131-141. [PMID: 29758257 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the GNAO1 gene cause a complex constellation of neurological disorders including epilepsy, developmental delay, and movement disorders. GNAO1 encodes Gαo, the α subunit of Go, a member of the Gi/o family of heterotrimeric G protein signal transducers. Go is the most abundant membrane protein in the mammalian central nervous system and plays major roles in synaptic neurotransmission and neurodevelopment. GNAO1 mutations were first reported in early infantile epileptic encephalopathy 17 (EIEE17) but are also associated with a more common syndrome termed neurodevelopmental disorder with involuntary movements (NEDIM). Here we review a mechanistic model in which loss-of-function (LOF) GNAO1 alleles cause epilepsy and gain-of-function (GOF) alleles are primarily associated with movement disorders. We also develop a signaling framework related to cyclic AMP (cAMP), synaptic vesicle release, and neural development and discuss gene mutations perturbing those mechanisms in a range of genetic movement disorders. Finally, we analyze clinical reports of patients carrying GNAO1 mutations with respect to their symptom onset and discuss pharmacological/surgical treatments in the context of our mechanistic model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijie Feng
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Suad Khalil
- Department of Neurology & Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Richard R Neubig
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Christos Sidiropoulos
- Department of Neurology & Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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24
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MacDougall DD, Lin Z, Chon NL, Jackman SL, Lin H, Knight JD, Anantharam A. The high-affinity calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 serves multiple roles in regulated exocytosis. J Gen Physiol 2018; 150:783-807. [PMID: 29794152 PMCID: PMC5987875 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201711944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MacDougall et al. review the structure and function of the calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 in exocytosis. Synaptotagmin (Syt) proteins comprise a 17-member family, many of which trigger exocytosis in response to calcium. Historically, most studies have focused on the isoform Syt-1, which serves as the primary calcium sensor in synchronous neurotransmitter release. Recently, Syt-7 has become a topic of broad interest because of its extreme calcium sensitivity and diversity of roles in a wide range of cell types. Here, we review the known and emerging roles of Syt-7 in various contexts and stress the importance of its actions. Unique functions of Syt-7 are discussed in light of recent imaging, electrophysiological, and computational studies. Particular emphasis is placed on Syt-7–dependent regulation of synaptic transmission and neuroendocrine cell secretion. Finally, based on biochemical and structural data, we propose a mechanism to link Syt-7’s role in membrane fusion with its role in subsequent fusion pore expansion via strong calcium-dependent phospholipid binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zesen Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Nara L Chon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Denver, CO
| | - Skyler L Jackman
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Hai Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Denver, CO
| | | | - Arun Anantharam
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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25
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Gruget C, Coleman J, Bello O, Krishnakumar SS, Perez E, Rothman JE, Pincet F, Donaldson SH. Rearrangements under confinement lead to increased binding energy of Synaptotagmin‐1 with anionic membranes in Mg
2+
and Ca
2+. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:1497-1506. [DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clémence Gruget
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique Ecole Normale Supérieure PSL Research University Paris France
| | - Jeff Coleman
- Department of Cell Biology Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT USA
| | - Oscar Bello
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy Institute of Neurology University College London UK
| | - Shyam S. Krishnakumar
- Department of Cell Biology Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy Institute of Neurology University College London UK
| | - Eric Perez
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique Ecole Normale Supérieure PSL Research University Paris France
| | - James E. Rothman
- Department of Cell Biology Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy Institute of Neurology University College London UK
| | - Frederic Pincet
- Laboratoire de Physique Statistique Ecole Normale Supérieure PSL Research University Paris France
- Department of Cell Biology Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT USA
| | - Stephen H. Donaldson
- Département de Physique Ecole Normale Supérieure PSL Research University, CNRS Paris France
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26
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Wu Z, Thiyagarajan S, O'Shaughnessy B, Karatekin E. Regulation of Exocytotic Fusion Pores by SNARE Protein Transmembrane Domains. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:315. [PMID: 29066949 PMCID: PMC5641348 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium-triggered exocytotic release of neurotransmitters and hormones from neurons and neuroendocrine cells underlies neuronal communication, motor activity and endocrine functions. The core of the neuronal exocytotic machinery is composed of soluble N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). Formation of complexes between vesicle-attached v- and plasma-membrane anchored t-SNAREs in a highly regulated fashion brings the membranes into close apposition. Small, soluble proteins called Complexins (Cpx) and calcium-sensing Synaptotagmins cooperate to block fusion at low resting calcium concentrations, but trigger release upon calcium increase. A growing body of evidence suggests that the transmembrane domains (TMDs) of SNARE proteins play important roles in regulating the processes of fusion and release, but the mechanisms involved are only starting to be uncovered. Here we review recent evidence that SNARE TMDs exert influence by regulating the dynamics of the fusion pore, the initial aqueous connection between the vesicular lumen and the extracellular space. Even after the fusion pore is established, hormone release by neuroendocrine cells is tightly controlled, and the same may be true of neurotransmitter release by neurons. The dynamics of the fusion pore can regulate the kinetics of cargo release and the net amount released, and can determine the mode of vesicle recycling. Manipulations of SNARE TMDs were found to affect fusion pore properties profoundly, both during exocytosis and in biochemical reconstitutions. To explain these effects, TMD flexibility, and interactions among TMDs or between TMDs and lipids have been invoked. Exocytosis has provided the best setting in which to unravel the underlying mechanisms, being unique among membrane fusion reactions in that single fusion pores can be probed using high-resolution methods. An important role will likely be played by methods that can probe single fusion pores in a biochemically defined setting which have recently become available. Finally, computer simulations are valuable mechanistic tools because they have the power to access small length scales and very short times that are experimentally inaccessible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyong Wu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Ben O'Shaughnessy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Erdem Karatekin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Laboratoire de Neurophotonique, Université Paris Descartes, Faculté des Sciences Fondamentales et Biomédicales, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
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27
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Shields MC, Bowers MR, Fulcer MM, Bollig MK, Rock PJ, Sutton BR, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Lochmüller H, Whittaker RG, Horvath R, Reist NE. Drosophila studies support a role for a presynaptic synaptotagmin mutation in a human congenital myasthenic syndrome. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184817. [PMID: 28953919 PMCID: PMC5617158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
During chemical transmission, the function of synaptic proteins must be coordinated to efficiently release neurotransmitter. Synaptotagmin 2, the Ca2+ sensor for fast, synchronized neurotransmitter release at the human neuromuscular junction, has recently been implicated in a dominantly inherited congenital myasthenic syndrome associated with a non-progressive motor neuropathy. In one family, a proline residue within the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket of synaptotagmin is replaced by a leucine. The functional significance of this residue has not been investigated previously. Here we show that in silico modeling predicts disruption of the C2B Ca2+-binding pocket, and we examine the in vivo effects of the homologous mutation in Drosophila. When expressed in the absence of native synaptotagmin, this mutation is lethal, demonstrating for the first time that this residue plays a critical role in synaptotagmin function. To achieve expression similar to human patients, the mutation is expressed in flies carrying one copy of the wild type synaptotagmin gene. We now show that Drosophila carrying this mutation developed neurological and behavioral manifestations similar to those of human patients and provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these deficits. Our Drosophila studies support a role for this synaptotagmin point mutation in disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory C. Shields
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Bowers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - McKenzie M. Fulcer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Madelyn K. Bollig
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Patrick J. Rock
- School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bryan R. Sutton
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alysia D. Vrailas-Mortimer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, United States of America
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Roger G. Whittaker
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Horvath
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Noreen E. Reist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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Wang J, Li F, Bello OD, Sindelar CV, Pincet F, Krishnakumar SS, Rothman JE. Circular oligomerization is an intrinsic property of synaptotagmin. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28850328 PMCID: PMC5576491 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, we showed that synaptotagmin1 (Syt1) forms Ca2+-sensitive ring-like oligomers on membranes containing acidic lipids and proposed a potential role in regulating neurotransmitter release (Zanetti et al., 2016). Here, we report that Syt1 assembles into similar ring-like oligomers in solution when triggered by naturally occurring polyphosphates (PIP2 and ATP) and magnesium ions (Mg2+). These soluble Syt1 rings were observed by electron microscopy and independently demonstrated and quantified using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Oligomerization is triggered when polyphosphates bind to the polylysine patch in C2B domain and is stabilized by Mg2+, which neutralizes the Ca2+-binding aspartic acids that likely contribute to the C2B interface in the oligomer. Overall, our data show that ring-like polymerization is an intrinsic property of Syt1 with reasonable affinity that can be triggered by the vesicle docking C2B-PIP2 interaction and raise the possibility that Syt1 rings could pre-form on the synaptic vesicle to facilitate docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Feng Li
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Oscar D Bello
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Vaughn Sindelar
- Departments of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Frédéric Pincet
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, UMR CNRS 8550 Associée aux Universités Paris 6 et Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James E Rothman
- Departments of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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29
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Jackman SL, Regehr WG. The Mechanisms and Functions of Synaptic Facilitation. Neuron 2017; 94:447-464. [PMID: 28472650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The ability of the brain to store and process information relies on changing the strength of connections between neurons. Synaptic facilitation is a form of short-term plasticity that enhances synaptic transmission for less than a second. Facilitation is a ubiquitous phenomenon thought to play critical roles in information transfer and neural processing. Yet our understanding of the function of facilitation remains largely theoretical. Here we review proposed roles for facilitation and discuss how recent progress in uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms could enable experiments that elucidate how facilitation, and short-term plasticity in general, contributes to circuit function and animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skyler L Jackman
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Wade G Regehr
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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30
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Advances on the Transfer of Lipids by Lipid Transfer Proteins. Trends Biochem Sci 2017; 42:516-530. [PMID: 28579073 PMCID: PMC5486777 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Transfer of lipid across the cytoplasm is an essential process for intracellular lipid traffic. Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are defined by highly controlled in vitro experiments. The functional relevance of these is supported by evidence for the same reactions inside cells. Major advances in the LTP field have come from structural bioinformatics identifying new LTPs, and from the development of countercurrent models for LTPs. However, the ultimate aim is to unite in vitro and in vivo data, and this is where much progress remains to be made. Even where in vitro and in vivo experiments align, rates of transfer tend not to match. Here we set out some of the advances that might test how LTPs work. LTPs facilitate the essential movement of lipid across aqueous spaces and are defined by in vitro experiments. Recent developments include a novel concept of countercurrent lipid transfer and identification of additional LTP families by bioinformatics. In vivo and in vitro data have yet to converge to one complete model. Advances in in vitro characterisation of LTPs provide an opportunity to unite biochemical experimentation to cellular function.
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31
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Han J, Pluhackova K, Böckmann RA. The Multifaceted Role of SNARE Proteins in Membrane Fusion. Front Physiol 2017; 8:5. [PMID: 28163686 PMCID: PMC5247469 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a key process in all living organisms that contributes to a variety of biological processes including viral infection, cell fertilization, as well as intracellular transport, and neurotransmitter release. In particular, the various membrane-enclosed compartments in eukaryotic cells need to exchange their contents and communicate across membranes. Efficient and controllable fusion of biological membranes is known to be driven by cooperative action of SNARE proteins, which constitute the central components of the eukaryotic fusion machinery responsible for fusion of synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane. During exocytosis, vesicle-associated v-SNARE (synaptobrevin) and target cell-associated t-SNAREs (syntaxin and SNAP-25) assemble into a core trans-SNARE complex. This complex plays a versatile role at various stages of exocytosis ranging from the priming to fusion pore formation and expansion, finally resulting in the release or exchange of the vesicle content. This review summarizes current knowledge on the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying exocytosis triggered and catalyzed by SNARE proteins. Particular attention is given to the function of the peptidic SNARE membrane anchors and the role of SNARE-lipid interactions in fusion. Moreover, the regulatory mechanisms by synaptic auxiliary proteins in SNARE-driven membrane fusion are briefly outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterXi'an, China; Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-NürnbergErlangen, Germany
| | - Kristyna Pluhackova
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rainer A Böckmann
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Erlangen, Germany
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32
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Clerc DG. Nonlinear effects in evolution - an ab initio study: A model in which the classical theory of evolution occurs as a special case. J Theor Biol 2016; 401:94-108. [PMID: 27029513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
An ab initio approach was used to study the molecular-level interactions that connect gene-mutation to changes in an organism׳s phenotype. The study provides new insights into the evolutionary process and presents a simplification whereby changes in phenotypic properties may be studied in terms of the binding affinities of the chemical interactions affected by mutation, rather than by correlation to the genes. The study also reports the role that nonlinear effects play in the progression of organs, and how those effects relate to the classical theory of evolution. Results indicate that the classical theory of evolution occurs as a special case within the ab initio model - a case having two attributes. The first attribute: proteins and promoter regions are not shared among organs. The second attribute: continuous limiting behavior exists in the physical properties of organs as well as in the binding affinity of the associated chemical interactions, with respect to displacements in the chemical properties of proteins and promoter regions induced by mutation. Outside of the special case, second-order coupling contributions are significant and nonlinear effects play an important role, a result corroborated by analyses of published activity levels in binding and transactivation assays. Further, gradations in the state of perfection of an organ may be small or large depending on the type of mutation, and not necessarily closely-separated as maintained by the classical theory. Results also indicate that organs progress with varying degrees of interdependence, the likelihood of successful mutation decreases with increasing complexity of the affected chemical system, and differences between the ab initio model and the classical theory increase with increasing complexity of the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl G Clerc
- ArTek Product Development, Inc., P.O. Box 212, Red Bud, IL 62278, USA.
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33
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Zanetti MN, Bello OD, Wang J, Coleman J, Cai Y, Sindelar CV, Rothman JE, Krishnakumar SS. Ring-like oligomers of Synaptotagmins and related C2 domain proteins. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27434670 PMCID: PMC4977156 DOI: 10.7554/elife.17262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently reported that the C2AB portion of Synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) could self-assemble into Ca(2+)-sensitive ring-like oligomers on membranes, which could potentially regulate neurotransmitter release. Here we report that analogous ring-like oligomers assemble from the C2AB domains of other Syt isoforms (Syt2, Syt7, Syt9) as well as related C2 domain containing protein, Doc2B and extended Synaptotagmins (E-Syts). Evidently, circular oligomerization is a general and conserved structural aspect of many C2 domain proteins, including Synaptotagmins. Further, using electron microscopy combined with targeted mutations, we show that under physiologically relevant conditions, both the Syt1 ring assembly and its rapid disruption by Ca(2+) involve the well-established functional surfaces on the C2B domain that are important for synaptic transmission. Our data suggests that ring formation may be triggered at an early step in synaptic vesicle docking and positions Syt1 to synchronize neurotransmitter release to Ca(2+) influx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria N Zanetti
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Oscar D Bello
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Jeff Coleman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Yiying Cai
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Charles V Sindelar
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - James E Rothman
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
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34
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Li XY, Wang F, Chen GH, Li XW, Yang QG, Cao L, Yan WW. Inflammatory insult during pregnancy accelerates age-related behavioral and neurobiochemical changes in CD-1 mice. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2016; 38:59. [PMID: 27194408 PMCID: PMC5005951 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-016-9920-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Data shows that inflammation during pregnancy significantly exerts a long-term influence on offspring, such as increasing the risk of adult cognition decline in animals. However, it is unclear whether gestational inflammation affects the neurobehavioral and neurobiochemical outcomes in the mother-self during aging. In this study, pregnant CD-1 mice intraperitoneally received lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in two doses (25 and 50 g/kg, respectively) or normal saline daily during gestational days 15-17. At the age of 15 months, a battery of behavioral tasks was employed to evaluate their species-typical behaviors, sensorimotor ability, anxiety levels, and spatial learning and memory abilities. An immunohistochemical method was utilized preliminarily to detect neurobiochemical indicators consisting of amyloid-β, phosphorylated tau, presynaptic proteins synaptotagmin-1 and syntaxin-1, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and histone-4 acetylation on the K8 site (H4K8ac). The behavioral results showed that LPS exposure during pregnancy exacerbated a decline in 15-month-old CD-1 mice's abilities to nest, their sensorimotor and spatial learning and memory capabilities, and increased their anxiety levels. The neurobiochemical results indicated that gestational LPS exposure also intensified age-related hippocampal changes, including increased amyloid-β42, phosphorylated tau, synaptotagmin-1 and GFAP, and decreased syntaxin-1 and H4K8ac. Our results suggested that the inflammatory insult during pregnancy could be an important risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease, and the H4K8 acetylation might play an important role in the underlying mechanism. This study offers a perspective for improving strategies that support healthy development and successful aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yan Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Gui-Hai Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University and the Center of Anhui Province in Psychologic Medicine, Chaohu, Hefei, 238000, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Chenzhou, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xue-Wei Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Gang Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Cao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Wen Yan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China
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35
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Abstract
Extensive research has yielded crucial insights into the mechanism of neurotransmitter release, and working models for the functions of key proteins involved in release. The SNAREs Syntaxin-1, Synaptobrevin, and SNAP-25 play a central role in membrane fusion, forming SNARE complexes that bridge the vesicle and plasma membranes and that are disassembled by NSF-SNAPs. Exocytosis likely starts with Syntaxin-1 folded into a self-inhibited closed conformation that binds to Munc18-1. Munc13s open Syntaxin-1, orchestrating SNARE complex assembly in an NSF-SNAP-resistant manner together with Munc18-1. In the resulting primed state, with partially assembled SNARE complexes, fusion is inhibited by Synaptotagmin-1 and Complexins, which also perform active functions in release. Upon influx of Ca(2+), Synaptotagmin-1 activates fast release, likely by relieving the inhibition caused by Complexins and cooperating with the SNAREs in bringing the membranes together. Although alternative models exist and fundamental questions remain unanswered, a definitive description of the basic release mechanism may be available soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Rizo
- Departments of Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390;
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36
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Crawford DC, Kavalali ET. Molecular underpinnings of synaptic vesicle pool heterogeneity. Traffic 2015; 16:338-64. [PMID: 25620674 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal communication relies on chemical synaptic transmission for information transfer and processing. Chemical neurotransmission is initiated by synaptic vesicle fusion with the presynaptic active zone resulting in release of neurotransmitters. Classical models have assumed that all synaptic vesicles within a synapse have the same potential to fuse under different functional contexts. In this model, functional differences among synaptic vesicle populations are ascribed to their spatial distribution in the synapse with respect to the active zone. Emerging evidence suggests, however, that synaptic vesicles are not a homogenous population of organelles, and they possess intrinsic molecular differences and differential interaction partners. Recent studies have reported a diverse array of synaptic molecules that selectively regulate synaptic vesicles' ability to fuse synchronously and asynchronously in response to action potentials or spontaneously irrespective of action potentials. Here we discuss these molecular mediators of vesicle pool heterogeneity that are found on the synaptic vesicle membrane, on the presynaptic plasma membrane, or within the cytosol and consider some of the functional consequences of this diversity. This emerging molecular framework presents novel avenues to probe synaptic function and uncover how synaptic vesicle pools impact neuronal signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon C Crawford
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
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37
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Abstract
UNLABELLED The Ca(2+) sensor synaptotagmin-1 (syt-1) regulates neurotransmitter release by interacting with anionic phospholipids. Here we test the idea that the intrinsic kinetics of syt-membrane interactions determine, in part, the time course of synaptic transmission. To tune the kinetics of this interaction, we grafted structural elements from the slowest isoform, syt-7, onto the fastest isoform, syt-1, resulting in a chimera with intermediate kinetic properties. Moreover, the chimera coupled a physiologically irrelevant metal, Sr(2+), to membrane fusion in vitro. When substituted for syt-1 in mouse hippocampal neurons, the chimera slowed the kinetics of synaptic transmission. Neurons expressing the chimera also evinced rapid and efficient Sr(2+) triggered release, in contrast to the weak response of neurons expressing syt-1. These findings reveal presynaptic sensor-membrane interactions as a major factor regulating the speed of the release machinery. Finally, the chimera failed to clamp the elevated spontaneous fusion rate exhibited by syt-1 KO neurons, indicating that the metal binding loops of syt-1 regulate the two modes of release by distinct mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In calcium, synaptotagmin-1 triggers neurotransmitter release by interacting with membranes. Here, we demonstrate that intrinsic properties of this interaction control the time course of synaptic transmission. We engineered a "chimera" using synaptotagmin-1 and elements of a slower isoform, synaptotagmin-7. When expressed in neurons, the chimera slowed the rate of neurotransmitter release. Furthermore, unlike native synaptotagmin-1, the chimera was able to function robustly in the presence of strontium-a metal not present in cells. We exploited this ability to show that a key function of synaptotagmin-1 is to penetrate cell membranes. This work sheds light on fundamental mechanisms of neurotransmitter release.
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38
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Chen GH, Tong JJ, Wang F, Hu XQ, Li XW, Tao F, Wei ZJ. Chronic adjunction of 1-deoxynojirimycin protects from age-related behavioral and biochemical changes in the SAMP8 mice. AGE (DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS) 2015; 37:102. [PMID: 26400487 PMCID: PMC5005858 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-015-9839-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have indicated that a caloric restriction mimetic or treatment for type 2 diabetes may reverse brain aging. Therefore, we investigated the effect of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), an alkaloid acting as an inhibitor of α-glucosidase, on age-related behavioral and biochemical changes. SAMP8 mice were randomly assigned to a control group labeled "old" or to the 10- or 20-mg/kg/day DNJ groups. The mice in the DNJ groups were administered DNJ orally from 3 to 9 months of age, and then, a "young" control group was added to analyze the age effect. The old controls exhibited significant declines in sensorimotor ability, open-field anxiety, spatial and nonspatial memory abilities, and age-related biochemical changes, including decreased serum insulin level; increased levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, presynaptic protein synaptotagmin-1, and astrocyte activation; and decreased levels of insulin receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, presynaptic protein syntaxin-1, and acetylation of histones H4 at lysine 8 in the dorsal hippocampus. Significant correlations exist between the age-related behavioral deficits and the serological and histochemical data. Chronic DNJ treatment alleviated these age-related changes, and the 20-mg/kg/day DNJ group showed more significant improvement. Thus, DNJ may have the potential to maintain successful brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Hai Chen
- Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Chaohu, Hefei, 238000, People's Republic of China.
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing-Jing Tong
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunity, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Qin Hu
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Wei Li
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Tao
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Jun Wei
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
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Osterberg JR, Chon NL, Boo A, Maynard FA, Lin H, Knight JD. Membrane Docking of the Synaptotagmin 7 C2A Domain: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Measurements Show Contributions from Two Membrane Binding Loops. Biochemistry 2015; 54:5684-95. [PMID: 26322740 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The synaptotagmin (Syt) family of proteins plays an important role in vesicle docking and fusion during Ca(2+)-induced exocytosis in a wide variety of cell types. Its role as a Ca(2+) sensor derives primarily from its two C2 domains, C2A and C2B, which insert into anionic lipid membranes upon binding Ca(2+). Syt isoforms 1 and 7 differ significantly in their Ca(2+) sensitivity; the C2A domain from Syt7 binds Ca(2+) and membranes much more tightly than the C2A domain from Syt1, at least in part because of greater contributions from the hydrophobic effect. While the structure and membrane activity of Syt1 have been extensively studied, the structural origins of differences between Syt1 and Syt7 are unknown. This study used site-directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine depth parameters for the Syt7 C2A domain, for comparison to analogous previous measurements with the Syt1 C2A domain. In a novel approach, the membrane docking geometry of both Syt1 and Syt7 C2A was modeled by mapping depth parameters onto multiple molecular dynamics-simulated structures of the Ca(2+)-bound protein. The models reveal membrane penetration of Ca(2+) binding loops 1 (CBL1) and 3 (CBL3), and membrane binding is more sensitive to mutations in CBL3. On average, Syt7 C2A inserts more deeply into the membrane than Syt1 C2A, although depths vary among the different structural models. This observation provides a partial structural explanation for the hydrophobically driven membrane docking of Syt7 C2A.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ryan Osterberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Nara Lee Chon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Arthur Boo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Favinn A Maynard
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Hai Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
| | - Jefferson D Knight
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver , Denver, Colorado 80217, United States
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40
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Structural elements that underlie Doc2β function during asynchronous synaptic transmission. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015. [PMID: 26195798 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1502288112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Double C2-like domain-containing proteins alpha and beta (Doc2α and Doc2β) are tandem C2-domain proteins proposed to function as Ca(2+) sensors for asynchronous neurotransmitter release. Here, we systematically analyze each of the negatively charged residues that mediate binding of Ca(2+) to the β isoform. The Ca(2+) ligands in the C2A domain were dispensable for Ca(2+)-dependent translocation to the plasma membrane, with one exception: neutralization of D220 resulted in constitutive translocation. In contrast, three of the five Ca(2+) ligands in the C2B domain are required for translocation. Importantly, translocation was correlated with the ability of the mutants to enhance asynchronous release when overexpressed in neurons. Finally, replacement of specific Ca(2+)/lipid-binding loops of synaptotagmin 1, a Ca(2+) sensor for synchronous release, with corresponding loops from Doc2β, resulted in chimeras that yielded slower kinetics in vitro and slower excitatory postsynaptic current decays in neurons. Together, these data reveal the key determinants of Doc2β that underlie its function during the slow phase of synaptic transmission.
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41
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Gatta AT, Wong LH, Sere YY, Calderón-Noreña DM, Cockcroft S, Menon AK, Levine TP. A new family of StART domain proteins at membrane contact sites has a role in ER-PM sterol transport. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26001273 PMCID: PMC4463742 DOI: 10.7554/elife.07253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterol traffic between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM) is a fundamental cellular process that occurs by a poorly understood non-vesicular mechanism. We identified a novel, evolutionarily diverse family of ER membrane proteins with StART-like lipid transfer domains and studied them in yeast. StART-like domains from Ysp2p and its paralog Lam4p specifically bind sterols, and Ysp2p, Lam4p and their homologs Ysp1p and Sip3p target punctate ER-PM contact sites distinct from those occupied by known ER-PM tethers. The activity of Ysp2p, reflected in amphotericin-sensitivity assays, requires its second StART-like domain to be positioned so that it can reach across ER-PM contacts. Absence of Ysp2p, Ysp1p or Sip3p reduces the rate at which exogenously supplied sterols traffic from the PM to the ER. Our data suggest that these StART-like proteins act in trans to mediate a step in sterol exchange between the PM and ER. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07253.001 Membranes are crucial structures for cells that are made primarily of fat molecules. The most important membrane is the external one that surrounds cells and keeps the outside world out and cellular contents in. The single most common fat component in the external membrane is cholesterol, which makes the membrane rigid and better able to withstand the outside world. So even though excess cholesterol contributes to diseases such as heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's, the external membrane of every cell needs about a billion cholesterol molecules for its normal function. But how do cells manage the traffic of these molecules to their destination? It is known that when external membranes are short of cholesterol they make it at a different cellular location. There is an internal network—called the endoplasmic reticulum—that spreads just about everywhere throughout the cell. This network is where fats like cholesterol are made when the cell has not got enough, and where they are converted into an inert form when the cell has too much. What is not known is how cholesterol moves to and fro between this network and the external membrane. One theory is that cholesterol and other fats move only where the internal network comes into close contact with the external membrane, without quite touching. This theory comes in part from the finding that many of the proteins found in the narrow gaps between the internal network and the external membrane are capable of transferring fats across the gap. However, one of the missing supports for this theory is that no protein that transfers cholesterol across this gap has been found. Gatta, Wong, Sere et al. used computational tools to scan the database of known proteins for those that might be able to transfer cholesterol, and found a new family of fat transfer proteins. Further experiments showed that these proteins only bind to cholesterol out of all the fats. Next, Gatta, Wong, Sere et al. studied what the proteins do in cells, but instead of looking at the proteins in human cells they studied the related proteins in yeast. This is because the details of both the traffic of cholesterol and contacts between the internal network and the external membrane are in many respects understood better in yeast than in human cells. Gatta, Wong, Sere et al. found the cholesterol transfer proteins were embedded in regions where the internal network was in close contact with the external membrane. Also, in cells that lacked these proteins, cholesterol added to the external membrane had difficulty transferring to the internal network. These results together suggest that the newly identified lipid transfer proteins exchange lipids between the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum at membrane contact sites. Further research is required to understand in detail how these proteins work. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07253.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto T Gatta
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise H Wong
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yves Y Sere
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | | | - Shamshad Cockcroft
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anant K Menon
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States
| | - Tim P Levine
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
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42
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The synaptotagmin juxtamembrane domain is involved in neuroexocytosis. FEBS Open Bio 2015; 5:388-96. [PMID: 25973365 PMCID: PMC4427626 DOI: 10.1016/j.fob.2015.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly cationic juxtamembrane segment of synaptotagmin juxtamembrane domain was synthesized. This peptide inhibits neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction of mice and Drosophila. This peptide localizes mainly on the presynaptic membrane. The synaptotagmin juxtamembrane peptide binds monophosphoinositides in a Ca2+-independent manner. The juxtamembrane segment of synaptotagmin may contribute to the formation of the hemifusion intermediate.
Synaptotagmin is a synaptic vesicle membrane protein which changes conformation upon Ca2+ binding and triggers the fast neuroexocytosis that takes place at synapses. We have synthesized a series of peptides corresponding to the sequence of the cytosolic juxtamembrane domain of synaptotagmin, which is highly conserved among different isoforms and animal species, with or without either a hexyl hydrophobic chain or the hexyl group plus a fluorescein moiety. We show that these peptides inhibit neurotransmitter release, that they localize on the presynaptic membrane of the motor axon terminal at the neuromuscular junction and that they bind monophosphoinositides in a Ca2+-independent manner. Based on these findings, we propose that the juxtamembrane cytosolic domain of synaptotagmin binds the cytosolic layer of the presynaptic membrane at rest. This binding brings synaptic vesicles and plasma membrane in a very close apposition, favouring the formation of hemifusion intermediates that enable rapid vesicle fusion.
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Key Words
- Anionic phospholipids
- JMS, juxtamembrane segment
- Juxtamembrane domain
- NMJ, neuromuscular junction
- Neuroexocytosis
- Neuromuscular junction
- PM, presynaptic membrane
- SV, synaptic vesicles
- Synaptotagmin
- Syt, synaptotagmin
- TM, transmembrane
- h-FJMS, hexyl fluorescent juxtamembrane segment
- h-JMS, hexyl juxtamembrane segment
- h-sJMS, hexyl scrambled juxtamembrane segment
- α-BTX, alpha-bungarotoxin
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43
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Baker K, Gordon SL, Grozeva D, van Kogelenberg M, Roberts NY, Pike M, Blair E, Hurles ME, Chong WK, Baldeweg T, Kurian MA, Boyd SG, Cousin MA, Raymond FL. Identification of a human synaptotagmin-1 mutation that perturbs synaptic vesicle cycling. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:1670-8. [PMID: 25705886 DOI: 10.1172/jci79765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin-1 (SYT1) is a calcium-binding synaptic vesicle protein that is required for both exocytosis and endocytosis. Here, we describe a human condition associated with a rare variant in SYT1. The individual harboring this variant presented with an early onset dyskinetic movement disorder, severe motor delay, and profound cognitive impairment. Structural MRI was normal, but EEG showed extensive neurophysiological disturbances that included the unusual features of low-frequency oscillatory bursts and enhanced paired-pulse depression of visual evoked potentials. Trio analysis of whole-exome sequence identified a de novo SYT1 missense variant (I368T). Expression of rat SYT1 containing the equivalent human variant in WT mouse primary hippocampal cultures revealed that the mutant form of SYT1 correctly localizes to nerve terminals and is expressed at levels that are approximately equal to levels of endogenous WT protein. The presence of the mutant SYT1 slowed synaptic vesicle fusion kinetics, a finding that agrees with the previously demonstrated role for I368 in calcium-dependent membrane penetration. Expression of the I368T variant also altered the kinetics of synaptic vesicle endocytosis. Together, the clinical features, electrophysiological phenotype, and in vitro neuronal phenotype associated with this dominant negative SYT1 mutation highlight presynaptic mechanisms that mediate human motor control and cognitive development.
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44
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Ma J, Kelly L, Ingram J, Price TJ, Meriney SD, Dittrich M. New insights into short-term synaptic facilitation at the frog neuromuscular junction. J Neurophysiol 2014; 113:71-87. [PMID: 25210157 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00198.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Short-term synaptic facilitation occurs during high-frequency stimulation, is known to be dependent on presynaptic calcium ions, and persists for tens of milliseconds after a presynaptic action potential. We have used the frog neuromuscular junction as a model synapse for both experimental and computer simulation studies aimed at testing various mechanistic hypotheses proposed to underlie short-term synaptic facilitation. Building off our recently reported excess-calcium-binding-site model of synaptic vesicle release at the frog neuromuscular junction (Dittrich M, Pattillo JM, King JD, Cho S, Stiles JR, Meriney SD. Biophys J 104: 2751-2763, 2013), we have investigated several mechanisms of short-term facilitation at the frog neuromuscular junction. Our studies place constraints on previously proposed facilitation mechanisms and conclude that the presence of a second class of calcium sensor proteins distinct from synaptotagmin can explain known properties of facilitation observed at the frog neuromuscular junction. We were further able to identify a novel facilitation mechanism, which relied on the persistent binding of calcium-bound synaptotagmin molecules to lipids of the presynaptic membrane. In a real physiological context, both mechanisms identified in our study (and perhaps others) may act simultaneously to cause the experimentally observed facilitation. In summary, using a combination of computer simulations and physiological recordings, we have developed a stochastic computer model of synaptic transmission at the frog neuromuscular junction, which sheds light on the facilitation mechanisms in this model synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ma
- Biomedical Applications Group, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Joint Carnegie Mellon-University of Pittsburgh PhD Program in Computational Biology, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Lauren Kelly
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Justin Ingram
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Thomas J Price
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Stephen D Meriney
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Markus Dittrich
- Biomedical Applications Group, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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45
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Krishnakumar SS, Kümmel D, Jones SJ, Radoff DT, Reinisch KM, Rothman JE. Conformational dynamics of calcium-triggered activation of fusion by synaptotagmin. Biophys J 2014; 105:2507-16. [PMID: 24314081 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptotagmin triggers rapid exocytosis of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles in response to Calcium (Ca(2+)) ions. Here, we use a novel Nanodisc-based system, designed to be a soluble mimetic of the clamped synaptic vesicle-bilayer junction, combined with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy to monitor the structural relationships among SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor), Synaptotagmin C2 domains, and the lipid bilayer in real time during the Ca(2+)-activation process. We report that Synaptotagmin remains rigidly fixed on the partially assembled SNARE complex with no detectable internal rearrangement of its C2 domains, even as it rapidly inserts into the bilayer. We hypothesize that this straightforward, one-step physical mechanism could explain how this Ca(2+)- sensor rapidly activates neurotransmitter release from the clamped state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam S Krishnakumar
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
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46
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Calcium sensitive ring-like oligomers formed by synaptotagmin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:13966-71. [PMID: 25201968 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1415849111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin-1 (SYT) is required to couple calcium influx to the membrane fusion machinery. However, the structural mechanism underlying this process is unclear. Here we report an unexpected circular arrangement (ring) of SYT's cytosolic domain (C2AB) formed on lipid monolayers in the absence of free calcium ions as revealed by electron microscopy. Rings vary in diameter from 18-43 nm, corresponding to 11-26 molecules of SYT. Continuous stacking of the SYT rings occasionally converts both lipid monolayers and bilayers into protein-coated tubes. Helical reconstruction of the SYT tubes shows that one of the C2 domains (most likely C2B, based on its biochemical properties) interacts with the membrane and is involved in ring formation, and the other C2 domain points radially outward. SYT rings are disrupted rapidly by physiological concentrations of free calcium but not by magnesium. Assuming that calcium-free SYT rings are physiologically relevant, these results suggest a simple and novel mechanism by which SYT regulates neurotransmitter release: The ring acts as a spacer to prevent the completion of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor activating protein receptor (SNARE) complex assembly, thereby clamping fusion in the absence of calcium. When the ring disassembles in the presence of calcium, fusion proceeds unimpeded.
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47
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Meriney SD, Umbach JA, Gundersen CB. Fast, Ca2+-dependent exocytosis at nerve terminals: shortcomings of SNARE-based models. Prog Neurobiol 2014; 121:55-90. [PMID: 25042638 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2014.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Investigations over the last two decades have made major inroads in clarifying the cellular and molecular events that underlie the fast, synchronous release of neurotransmitter at nerve endings. Thus, appreciable progress has been made in establishing the structural features and biophysical properties of the calcium (Ca2+) channels that mediate the entry into nerve endings of the Ca2+ ions that trigger neurotransmitter release. It is now clear that presynaptic Ca2+ channels are regulated at many levels and the interplay of these regulatory mechanisms is just beginning to be understood. At the same time, many lines of research have converged on the conclusion that members of the synaptotagmin family serve as the primary Ca2+ sensors for the action potential-dependent release of neurotransmitter. This identification of synaptotagmins as the proteins which bind Ca2+ and initiate the exocytotic fusion of synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane has spurred widespread efforts to reveal molecular details of synaptotagmin's action. Currently, most models propose that synaptotagmin interfaces directly or indirectly with SNARE (soluble, N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment receptors) proteins to trigger membrane fusion. However, in spite of intensive efforts, the field has not achieved consensus on the mechanism by which synaptotagmins act. Concurrently, the precise sequence of steps underlying SNARE-dependent membrane fusion remains controversial. This review considers the pros and cons of the different models of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion and concludes by discussing a novel proposal in which synaptotagmins might directly elicit membrane fusion without the intervention of SNARE proteins in this final fusion step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Meriney
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Joy A Umbach
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Cameron B Gundersen
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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48
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Liu H, Bai H, Xue R, Takahashi H, Edwardson JM, Chapman ER. Linker mutations reveal the complexity of synaptotagmin 1 action during synaptic transmission. Nat Neurosci 2014; 17:670-7. [PMID: 24657966 PMCID: PMC4139111 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Ca(2+) sensor for rapid synaptic vesicle exocytosis, synaptotagmin 1 (syt), is largely composed of two Ca(2+)-sensing C2 domains, C2A and C2B. We investigated the apparent synergy between the tandem C2 domains by altering the length and rigidity of the linker that connects them. The behavior of the linker mutants revealed a correlation between the ability of the C2 domains to penetrate membranes in response to Ca(2+) and to drive evoked neurotransmitter release in cultured mouse neurons, uncovering a step in excitation-secretion coupling. Using atomic force microscopy, we found that the synergy between these C2 domains involved intra-molecular interactions between them. Thus, syt function is markedly affected by changes in the physical nature of the linker that connects its tandem C2 domains. Moreover, the linker mutations uncoupled syt-mediated regulation of evoked and spontaneous release, revealing that syt also acts as a fusion clamp before the Ca(2+) trigger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huisheng Liu
- 1] Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. [2] [3]
| | - Hua Bai
- 1] Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. [2]
| | - Renhao Xue
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | | | - Edwin R Chapman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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49
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Dittrich M, Pattillo JM, King JD, Cho S, Stiles JR, Meriney SD. An excess-calcium-binding-site model predicts neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction. Biophys J 2014; 104:2751-63. [PMID: 23790384 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Revised: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of intense experimental studies, we still lack a detailed understanding of synaptic function. Fortunately, using computational approaches, we can obtain important new insights into the inner workings of these important neural systems. Here, we report the development of a spatially realistic computational model of an entire frog active zone in which we constrained model parameters with experimental data, and then used Monte Carlo simulation methods to predict the Ca(2+)-binding stoichiometry and dynamics that underlie neurotransmitter release. Our model reveals that 20-40 independent Ca(2+)-binding sites on synaptic vesicles, only a fraction of which need to bind Ca(2+) to trigger fusion, are sufficient to predict physiological release. Our excess-Ca(2+)-binding-site model has many functional advantages, agrees with recent data on synaptotagmin copy number, and is the first (to our knowledge) to link detailed physiological observations with the molecular machinery of Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis. In addition, our model provides detailed microscopic insight into the underlying Ca(2+) dynamics during synapse activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Dittrich
- National Resource for Biomedical Supercomputing, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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50
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Atlas D. Voltage-gated calcium channels function as Ca2+-activated signaling receptors. Trends Biochem Sci 2014; 39:45-52. [PMID: 24388968 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2013.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Revised: 11/24/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are transmembrane cell surface proteins responsible for multifunctional signals. In response to voltage, VGCCs trigger synaptic transmission, drive muscle contraction, and regulate gene expression. Voltage perturbations open VGCCs enabling Ca(2+) binding to the low affinity Ca(2+) binding site of the channel pore. Subsequent to permeation, Ca(2+) targets selective proteins to activate diverse signaling pathways. It is becoming apparent that the Ca(2+)-bound channel triggers secretion in excitable cells and drives contraction in cardiomyocytes prior to Ca(2+) permeation. Here, I highlight recent data implicating receptor-like function of the Ca(2+)-bound channel in converting external Ca(2+) into an intracellular signal. The two sequential mechanistic perspectives of VGCC function are discussed in the context of the prevailing and long-standing current models of depolarization-evoked secretion and cardiac contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Atlas
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silverman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 Israel.
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