Allen, Marcus James, Shan, Xiaoliang, Caruccio, Phyllis, Froggett, Stephan J., Moffat, Kevin G. and Murphey, R. K. (1999) Targeted expression of truncated glued disrupts giant fiber synapse formation in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience, Vol.19 (No.21). pp. 9374-9384.

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Abstract

Glued1 (Gl1) mutants produce a truncated protein that acts as a poison subunit and disables the cytoplasmic retrograde motor dynein. Heterozygous mutants have axonal defects in the adult eye and the nervous system. Here we show that selective expression of the poison subunit in neurons of the giant fiber (GF) system disrupts synaptogenesis between the GF and one of its targets, the tergotrochanteral motorneuron (TTMn). Growth and pathfinding by the GF axon and the TTMn dendrite are normal, but the terminal of the GF axon fails to develop normally and becomes swollen with large vesicles. This is a presynaptic defect because expression of truncated Glued restricted to the GF results in the same defect. When tested electrophysiologically, the flies with abnormal axons show a weakened or absent GF-TTMn connection. In Glued1 heterozygotes, GF-TTMn synapse formation appears morphologically normal, but adult flies show abnormal responses to repetitive stimuli. This physiological effect is also observed when tetanus toxin is expressed in the GFs. Because the GF-TTMn is thought to be a mixed electrochemical synapse, the results show that Glued has a role in assembling both the chemical and electrical components. We speculate that disrupting transport of a retrograde signal disrupts synapse formation and maturation.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QL Zoology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) > Biological Sciences ( -2010)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Drosophila -- Physiology, Dynein, Motor neurons, Axonal transport, Synapses
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Neuroscience
Publisher:	Society for Neuroscience
ISSN:	0270-6474
Official Date:	1 November 1999
Dates:	Date Event 1 November 1999 Published
Volume:	Vol.19
Number:	No.21
Page Range:	pp. 9374-9384
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH), National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF)
Grant number:	NS15571 (NIH), IBN 9514701 (NSF)

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