Presynaptic secretion of mind‐the‐gap organizes the synaptic extracellular matrix‐integrin interface and postsynaptic environments

Mind‐the‐Gap (MTG) is required during synaptogenesis of the Drosophila glutamatergic neuromuscular junction (NMJ) to organize the postsynaptic domain. Here, we generate MTG::GFP transgenic animals to demonstrate MTG is synaptically targeted, secreted, and localized to punctate domains in the synapti...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental dynamics 2009-03, Vol.238 (3), p.554-571
Main Authors: Rushton, Emma, Rohrbough, Jeffrey, Broadie, Kendal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Carrier Proteins - genetics
Carrier Proteins - metabolism
DNA, Complementary - genetics
Drosophila
Drosophila melanogaster - embryology
Drosophila melanogaster - metabolism
Drosophila Proteins - genetics
Drosophila Proteins - metabolism
Extracellular Matrix - metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
glutamate receptor
induction
Integrins - metabolism
lectin
Mutation - genetics
neuromuscular junction
Synapses - metabolism
synaptic cleft
Synaptic Transmission
synaptogenesis
transsynaptic
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Mind‐the‐Gap (MTG) is required during synaptogenesis of the Drosophila glutamatergic neuromuscular junction (NMJ) to organize the postsynaptic domain. Here, we generate MTG::GFP transgenic animals to demonstrate MTG is synaptically targeted, secreted, and localized to punctate domains in the synaptic extracellular matrix (ECM). Drosophila NMJs form specialized ECM carbohydrate domains, with carbohydrate moieties and integrin ECM receptors occupying overlapping territories. Presynaptically secreted MTG recruits and reorganizes secreted carbohydrates, and acts to recruit synaptic integrins and ECM glycans. Transgenic MTG::GFP expression rescues hatching, movement, and synaptogenic defects in embryonic‐lethal mtg null mutants. Targeted neuronal MTG expression rescues mutant synaptogenesis defects, and increases rescue of adult viability, supporting an essential neuronal function. These results indicate that presynaptically secreted MTG regulates the ECM‐integrin interface, and drives an inductive mechanism for the functional differentiation of the postsynaptic domain of glutamatergic synapses. We suggest that MTG pioneers a novel protein family involved in ECM‐dependent synaptic differentiation. Developmental Dynamics 238:554–571, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:1058-8388
1097-0177
DOI:10.1002/dvdy.21864