Drosophila glutamate receptor mRNA expression and mRNP particles

Muscle cofilin alters neuromuscular junction postsynaptic development to strengthen functional neurotransmission

Cofilin, an actin-severing protein, plays key roles in muscle sarcomere addition and maintenance. Our previous work found that Drosophila cofilin (DmCFL) knockdown in muscle causes progressive deterioration of muscle structure and function and produces features seen in nemaline myopathy caused by cofilin mutations. We hypothesized that disruption of actin cytoskeleton dynamics by DmCFL knockdown would impact other aspects of muscle development, and, thus, conducted an RNA-sequencing analysis that unexpectedly revealed upregulated expression of numerous neuromuscular junction (NMJ) genes. We found that DmCFL is enriched in the muscle postsynaptic compartment and that DmCFL muscle knockdown causes F-actin disorganization in this subcellular domain prior to the sarcomere defects observed later in development. Despite NMJ gene expression changes, we found no significant changes in gross presynaptic Bruchpilot active zones or total postsynaptic glutamate receptor levels. However, DmCFL knockdown resulted in mislocalization of GluRIIA class glutamate receptors in more deteriorated muscles and strongly impaired NMJ transmission strength. These findings expand our understanding of the roles of cofilin in muscle to include NMJ structural development and suggest that NMJ defects may contribute to the pathophysiology of nemaline myopathy.

Local BMP signaling: A sensor for synaptic activity that balances synapse growth and function

Synapse development is coordinated by intercellular communication between the pre- and postsynaptic compartments, and by neuronal activity itself. In flies as in vertebrates, neuronal activity induces input-specific changes in the synaptic strength so that the entire circuit maintains stable function in the face of many challenges, including changes in synapse number and strength. But how do neurons sense synapse activity? In several studies carried out using the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ), we demonstrated that local BMP signaling provides an exquisite sensor for synapse activity. Here we review the main features of this exquisite sensor and discuss its functioning beyond monitoring the synapse activity but rather as a key controller that operates in coordination with other BMP signaling pathways to balance synapse growth, maturation and function.

Nuclear Scaling Is Coordinated among Individual Nuclei in Multinucleated Muscle Fibers

Optimal cell performance depends on cell size and the appropriate relative size, i.e., scaling, of the nucleus. How nuclear scaling is regulated and contributes to cell function is poorly understood, especially in skeletal muscle fibers, which are among the largest cells, containing hundreds of nuclei. Here, we present a Drosophila in vivo system to analyze nuclear scaling in whole multinucleated muscle fibers, genetically manipulate individual components, and assess muscle function. Despite precise global coordination, we find that individual nuclei within a myofiber establish different local scaling relationships by adjusting their size and synthetic activity in correlation with positional or spatial cues. While myonuclei exhibit compensatory potential, even minor changes in global nuclear size scaling correlate with reduced muscle function. Our study provides the first comprehensive approach to unraveling the intrinsic regulation of size in multinucleated muscle fibers. These insights to muscle cell biology will accelerate the development of interventions for muscle diseases.

The spatial and developmental expression of mouse Vwa8 (von Willebrand domain-containing protein 8)

The Drosophila gene c12.2 was isolated in a screen examining mRNA binding proteins. Drosophila c12.2 is the mouse Vwa8 homolog. Various genome-wide associated studies have linked human Vwa8 to both neurological and oncological pathologies, which include autism, bipolar disorder, comorbid migraine, and acute myeloid leukemia, however, the function and role of the VWA8 protein remain poorly understood. To further analyze the Vwa8 gene in mouse, gene structure, protein homology modeling, and gene expression patterns were examined throughout mouse development. Our analyses indicate that the mouse Vwa8 gene produces two transcripts; the full-length Vwa8a is highly expressed relative to the truncated Vwa8b transcript across all developmental time points and tissues analyzed. Protein homology modeling indicates that VWA8a belongs to a novel protein superfamily containing both the midasin and cytoplasmic dynein 1 heavy chain 1 proteins. These data establish the development timeline and expression profile for both Vwa8a and Vwa8b, paving the way for future studies to determine the cellular role(s) of this highly conserved protein family.

A Presynaptic Regulatory System Acts Transsynaptically via Mon1 to Regulate Glutamate Receptor Levels in Drosophila

Mon1 is an evolutionarily conserved protein involved in the conversion of Rab5 positive early endosomes to late endosomes through the recruitment of Rab7. We have identified a role for Drosophila Mon1 in regulating glutamate receptor levels at the larval neuromuscular junction. We generated mutants in Dmon1 through P-element excision. These mutants are short-lived with strong motor defects. At the synapse, the mutants show altered bouton morphology with several small supernumerary or satellite boutons surrounding a mature bouton; a significant increase in expression of GluRIIA and reduced expression of Bruchpilot. Neuronal knockdown of Dmon1 is sufficient to increase GluRIIA levels, suggesting its involvement in a presynaptic mechanism that regulates postsynaptic receptor levels. Ultrastructural analysis of mutant synapses reveals significantly smaller synaptic vesicles. Overexpression of vglut suppresses the defects in synaptic morphology and also downregulates GluRIIA levels in Dmon1 mutants, suggesting that homeostatic mechanisms are not affected in these mutants. We propose that DMon1 is part of a presynaptically regulated transsynaptic mechanism that regulates GluRIIA levels at the larval neuromuscular junction.

Drosophila Syncrip modulates the expression of mRNAs encoding key synaptic proteins required for morphology at the neuromuscular junction

Localized mRNA translation is thought to play a key role in synaptic plasticity, but the identity of the transcripts and the molecular mechanism underlying their function are still poorly understood. Here, we show that Syncrip, a regulator of localized translation in the Drosophila oocyte and a component of mammalian neuronal mRNA granules, is also expressed in the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, where it regulates synaptic growth. We use RNA-immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing and qRT-PCR to show that Syncrip associates with a number of mRNAs encoding proteins with key synaptic functions, including msp-300, syd-1, neurexin-1, futsch, highwire, discs large, and α-spectrin. The protein levels of MSP-300, Discs large, and a number of others are significantly affected in syncrip null mutants. Furthermore, syncrip mutants show a reduction in MSP-300 protein levels and defects in muscle nuclear distribution characteristic of msp-300 mutants. Our results highlight a number of potential new players in localized translation during synaptic plasticity in the neuromuscular junction. We propose that Syncrip acts as a modulator of synaptic plasticity by regulating the translation of these key mRNAs encoding synaptic scaffolding proteins and other important components involved in synaptic growth and function.

Staufen targets coracle mRNA to Drosophila neuromuscular junctions and regulates GluRIIA synaptic accumulation and bouton number

The post-synaptic translation of localised mRNAs has been postulated to underlie several forms of plasticity at vertebrate synapses, but the mechanisms that target mRNAs to these postsynaptic sites are not well understood. Here we show that the evolutionary conserved dsRNA binding protein, Staufen, localises to the postsynaptic side of the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ), where it is required for the localisation of coracle mRNA and protein. Staufen plays a well-characterised role in the localisation of oskar mRNA to the oocyte posterior, where Staufen dsRNA-binding domain 5 is specifically required for its translation. Removal of Staufen dsRNA-binding domain 5, disrupts the postsynaptic accumulation of Coracle protein without affecting the localisation of cora mRNA, suggesting that Staufen similarly regulates Coracle translation. Tropomyosin II, which functions with Staufen in oskar mRNA localisation, is also required for coracle mRNA localisation, suggesting that similar mechanisms target mRNAs to the NMJ and the oocyte posterior. Coracle, the orthologue of vertebrate band 4.1, functions in the anchoring of the glutamate receptor IIA subunit (GluRIIA) at the synapse. Consistent with this, staufen mutant larvae show reduced accumulation of GluRIIA at synapses. The NMJs of staufen mutant larvae have also a reduced number of synaptic boutons. Altogether, this suggests that this novel Staufen-dependent mRNA localisation and local translation pathway may play a role in the developmentally regulated growth of the NMJ.

Building a synapse: a complex matter

L-glutamate is the primary neurotransmitter at excitatory synapses in the vertebrate CNS and at arthropod neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). However, the molecular mechanisms that trigger the recruitment of glutamate receptors at the onset of synaptogenesis and promote their stabilization at postsynaptic densities remain poorly understood. We have reported the discovery of a novel, evolutionary conserved molecule, Neto, essential for clustering of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) at Drosophila NMJ. Neto is the first auxiliary subunit described in Drosophila and is the only non-channel subunit absolutely required for functional iGluRs. Here we review the role of Drosophila Neto in synapse assembly, its similarities with other Neto proteins and a new perspective on how glutamatergic synapses are physically assembled and stabilized.