Postsynaptic activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase ii promotes coordinated pre- and postsynaptic maturation of drosophila neuromuscular junctions

• Published in: Neuroscience 2003-01, Vol.117 (3), p.615-625
• Main Authors: Kazama, H, Morimoto-Tanifuji, T, Nose, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging - metabolism; Aging - physiology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases - genetics; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; coordinated differentiation; Drosophila melanogaster - embryology; Drosophila melanogaster - metabolism; Drosophila melanogaster - physiology; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Horseradish Peroxidase - metabolism; In Vitro Techniques; Insecta; Invertebrates; Larva - growth & development; Larva - metabolism; Larva - physiology; Life cycle. Embryology. Development; mosaic postsynaptic expression; Mutation; Neuromuscular Junction - embryology; Neuromuscular Junction - genetics; Neuromuscular Junction - metabolism; Patch-Clamp Techniques - methods; Physiology. Development; Presynaptic Terminals - physiology; Reaction Time; Receptors, Glutamate - physiology; retrograde signaling; simultaneous recording; Synaptic Transmission - physiology; synaptogenesis
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4522(02)00923-5

The interaction between a neuron and its target cell(s) is essential for the development of synapses. To elucidate the role of target cells in synaptogenesis, the activity of postsynaptic calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) was manipulated in a mosaic manner and its specific effect was examined at the developing Drosophila neuromuscular junction. We found that postsynaptic expression of constitutively active CaMKII augmented the amplitude of excitatory synaptic currents (ESCs) and the frequency of miniature ESCs. It also promoted morphological maturation of presynaptic as well as postsynaptic specializations, which presumably underlie the enhancement of synaptic activities. Expression of an inhibitory peptide of CaMKII in the postsynaptic cell partially affected the synaptic maturation. These results suggest two significant functions of postsynaptic CaMKII in synaptogenesis–retrograde modulation of presynaptic properties and coordinated regulation of pre- and postsynaptic maturation.