title: The translational repressor Pumilio regulates presynaptic morphology and controls postsynaptic accumulation of translation factor eIF-4E.
abstract: Translational repression by Drosophila Pumilio (Pum) protein controls posterior patterning during embryonic development. Here, we show that Pum is an important mediator of synaptic growth and plasticity at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Pum is localized to the postsynaptic side of the NMJ in third instar larvae and is also expressed in larval neurons. Neuronal Pum regulates synaptic growth. In its absence, NMJ boutons are larger and fewer in number, while Pum overexpression increases bouton number and decreases bouton size. Postsynaptic Pum negatively regulates expression of the translation factor eIF-4E at the NMJ, and Pum binds selectively to the 3'UTR of eIF-4E mRNA. The GluRIIa glutamate receptor is upregulated in pum mutants. These results, together with genetic epistasis studies, suggest that postsynaptic Pum modulates synaptic function via direct control of eIF-4E expression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Kaushiki P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: Subhabrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanyal
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Habara
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Robin P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wharton
authors.forename: Mani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramaswami
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zinn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000196:embryology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; C074333:pum protein, Drosophila; C104722:glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2