A presynaptic homeostatic signaling system composed of the Eph receptor, ephexin, Cdc42, and CaV2.1 calcium channels.
The molecular mechanisms underlying the homeostatic modulation of presynaptic neurotransmitter release remain largely unknown. In a screen, we isolated mutations in Drosophila ephexin (Rho-type guanine nucleotide exchange factor) that disrupt the homeostatic enhancement of presynaptic release following impairment of postsynaptic glutamate receptor function at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. We show that Ephexin is sufficient presynaptically for synaptic homeostasis and localizes in puncta throughout the nerve terminal. However, ephexin mutations do not alter other aspects of neuromuscular development, including morphology or active zone number. We then show that, during synaptic homeostasis, Ephexin functions primarily with Cdc42 in a signaling system that converges upon the presynaptic CaV2.1 calcium channel. Finally, we show that Ephexin binds the Drosophila Eph receptor (Eph) and Eph mutants disrupt synaptic homeostasis. Based on these data, we propose that Ephexin/Cdc42 couples synaptic Eph signaling to the modulation of presynaptic CaV2.1 channels during the homeostatic enhancement of presynaptic release.
Frank
C Andrew
CA
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 1550 4th Street, Rock Hall 4th Floor North, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
Pielage
Jan
J
Davis
Graeme W
GW
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D036082:Receptor, EphA1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000502:physiology; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D036082:Receptor, EphA1; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; C539422:Exn protein, Drosophila