Drosophila CAPS is an essential gene that regulates dense-core vesicle release and synaptic vesicle fusion

Citation
R. Renden et al., Drosophila CAPS is an essential gene that regulates dense-core vesicle release and synaptic vesicle fusion, NEURON, 31(3), 2001, pp. 421-437
Citations number
95
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
NEURON
ISSN journal
0896-6273 → ACNP
Volume
31
Issue
3
Year of publication
2001
Pages
421 - 437
Database
ISI
SICI code
0896-6273(20010816)31:3<421:DCIAEG>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Calcium-activated protein for secretion (CAPS) is proposed to play an essen tial role in Ca2+-regulated dense-core vesicle exocytosis in vertebrate neu roendocrine cells. Here we report the cloning, mutation, and characterizati on of the Drosophila ortholog (dCAPS). Null dCAPS mutants display locomotor y deficits and complete embryonic lethality. The mutant NMJ reveals a 50% l oss in evoked glutamatergic transmission, and an accumulation of synaptic v esicles at active zones. Importantly, dCAPS mutants display a highly specif ic 3-fold accumulation of dense-core vesicles in synaptic terminals, which was not observed in mutants that completely arrest synaptic vesicle exocyto sis. Targeted transgenic CAPS expression in identified motoneurons fails to rescue dCAPS neurotransmission defects, demonstrating a cell nonautonomous role in synaptic vesicle fusion. We conclude that dCAPS is required for de nse-core vesicle release and that a dCAPS-dependent mechanism modulates syn aptic vesicle release at glutamatergic synapses.