Ubiquitin-Synaptobrevin Fusion Protein Causes Degeneration of Presynaptic Motor Terminals in Mice.
Protein aggregates containing ubiquitin (Ub) are commonly observed in neurodegenerative disorders, implicating the involvement of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) in their pathogenesis. Here, we aimed to generate a mouse model for monitoring UPS function using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based substrate that carries a "noncleavable" N-terminal ubiquitin moiety (Ub(G76V)). We engineered transgenic mice expressing a fusion protein, consisting of the following: (1) Ub(G76V), GFP, and a synaptic vesicle protein synaptobrevin-2 (Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2); (2) GFP-Syb2; or (3) Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syntaxin1, all under the control of a neuron-specific Thy-1 promoter. As expected, Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2, GFP-Syb2, and Ub(G76V)-GFP-Sytaxin1 were highly expressed in neurons, such as motoneurons and motor nerve terminals of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Surprisingly, Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2 mice developed progressive adult-onset degeneration of motor nerve terminals, whereas GFP-Syb2 and Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syntaxin1 mice were normal. The degeneration of nerve terminals in Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2 mice was preceded by a progressive impairment of synaptic transmission at the NMJs. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2 interacted with SNAP-25 and Syntaxin1, the SNARE partners of synaptobrevin. Ultrastructural analyses revealed a marked reduction in synaptic vesicle density, accompanying an accumulation of tubulovesicular structures at presynaptic nerve terminals. These morphological defects were largely restricted to motor nerve terminals, as the ultrastructure of motoneuron somata appeared to be normal at the stages when synaptic nerve terminals degenerated. Furthermore, synaptic vesicle endocytosis and membrane trafficking were impaired in Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2 mice. These findings indicate that Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2 may compete with endogenous synaptobrevin, acting as a gain-of-function mutation that impedes SNARE function, resulting in the depletion of synaptic vesicles and degeneration of the nerve terminals.


CONCLUSIONS
Degeneration of motor nerve terminals occurs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients as well as in mouse models of ALS, leading to progressive paralysis. What causes a motor nerve terminal to degenerate remains unknown. Here we report on transgenic mice expressing a ubiquitinated synaptic vesicle protein (Ub(G76V)-GFP-Syb2) that develop progressive degeneration of motor nerve terminals. These mice may serve as a model for further elucidating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of presynaptic nerve terminal degeneration.
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Yun
Y
Liu
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Hongqiao
H
Li
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Yoshie
Y
Sugiura
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, Laboratory of Metabolic Medicine, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, A*STAR, Singapore 138667, and.
Weiping
W
Han
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Gilbert
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2614-1613
G
Gallardo
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Mikhail
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9328-8549
M
Khvotchev
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Yinan
Y
Zhang
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
Ege T
ET
Kavalali
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94304.
Thomas C
TC
Südhof
Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, Weichun.Lin@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Weichun
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6806-3329
W
Lin
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D025801:Ubiquitin
neurodegeneration; neuromuscular junction; synapse; synaptic degeneration; synaptic transmission; transgenic mice