TY - JOUR

T1 - Two pools of vesicles associated with the presynaptic cytosolic projection in Drosophila neuromuscular junctions

AU - Jiao, Wei

AU - Masich, Sergej

AU - Franzén, Oscar

AU - Shupliakov, Oleg

PY - 2010/12/1

Y1 - 2010/12/1

N2 - Synapses that sustain neurotransmitter release at high rates often contain special presynaptic cytosolic projections (PCPs) that are believed to facilitate synaptic vesicle (SV) movements to the sites of fusion. The genetically modifiable Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) serves as one of the model systems to investigate the functions of these structures. Using electron microscope tomography we determined the three-dimensional organization of the Drosophila PCP immobilized by high-pressure freezing, followed by cryo-substitution. We show that it is composed of three structural components: (1) the central core, (2) legs, organized in a regular grid at the bottom of the central core, and (3) cytoplasmic extensions. The extensions are comprised of thin filaments emerging from the central core. SVs connected to the extensions are either linked to the vesicles accumulated around the PCP or to the presynaptic membrane. This suggests that SVs associated with the PCP loose their connections with other vesicles in the cluster during translocation to the site of fusion.

AB - Synapses that sustain neurotransmitter release at high rates often contain special presynaptic cytosolic projections (PCPs) that are believed to facilitate synaptic vesicle (SV) movements to the sites of fusion. The genetically modifiable Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) serves as one of the model systems to investigate the functions of these structures. Using electron microscope tomography we determined the three-dimensional organization of the Drosophila PCP immobilized by high-pressure freezing, followed by cryo-substitution. We show that it is composed of three structural components: (1) the central core, (2) legs, organized in a regular grid at the bottom of the central core, and (3) cytoplasmic extensions. The extensions are comprised of thin filaments emerging from the central core. SVs connected to the extensions are either linked to the vesicles accumulated around the PCP or to the presynaptic membrane. This suggests that SVs associated with the PCP loose their connections with other vesicles in the cluster during translocation to the site of fusion.

KW - Drosophila

KW - Electron tomography

KW - Neuromuscular junction

KW - Synapse

KW - Synaptic transmission

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77958174002&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jsb.2010.07.007

DO - 10.1016/j.jsb.2010.07.007

M3 - Article

C2 - 20678577

AN - SCOPUS:77958174002

VL - 172

SP - 389

EP - 394

JO - Journal of Structural Biology

JF - Journal of Structural Biology

SN - 1047-8477

IS - 3

ER -