The Drosophila BMP type II receptor Wishful Thinking regulates neuromuscular synapse morphology and function.
Proper synaptic development is critical for establishing all aspects of neural function including learning, memory, and locomotion. Here, we describe the phenotypic consequences of mutations in the wishful thinking (wit) gene, the Drosophila homolog of the vertebrate BMP type II receptor. Mutations in wit result in pharate lethality that can be rescued by expression of a wit transgene in motor neurons but not in muscles. Mutant larvae exhibit small synapses, severe defects in evoked junctional potentials, a lower frequency of spontaneous vesicle release, and an alteration in the ultrastructure of synaptic active zones. These results reveal a novel role for BMP signaling in regulating Drosophila neuromuscular junction synapse assembly and activity and may indicate that similar pathways could govern vertebrate synapse development.
Marqués
Guillermo
G
The Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Bao
Hong
H
Haerry
Theodor E
TE
Shimell
Mary Jane
MJ
Duchek
Peter
P
Zhang
Bing
B
O'Connor
Michael B
MB
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C112506:MAD protein, Drosophila; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors; C449821:wit protein, Drosophila; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II