Dataset Information

The lipid binding pleckstrin homology domain in UNC-104 kinesin is necessary for synaptic vesicle transport in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: UNC-104 (KIF1A) is a kinesin motor that transports synaptic vesicles from the neuronal cell body to the terminal. Previous in vitro studies have shown that a Dictyostelium relative of UNC-104 transports liposomes containing acidic phospholipids, but whether this interaction is needed for the recognition and transport of synaptic vesicles in metazoans remains unexplored. Here, we have introduced mutations in the nonmotor domain of UNC-104 and examined whether these mutant motors can rescue an unc-104 Caenorhabditis elegans strain. We show that a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain in UNC-104 is essential for membrane transport in living C. elegans, that this PH domain binds specifically to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P(2)), and that point mutants in the PH domain that interfere with PI(4,5)P(2) binding in vitro also interfere with UNC-104 function in vivo. Several other lipid-binding modules could not effectively substitute for the UNC-104 PH domain in this in vivo assay. Real time imaging also revealed that a lipid-binding point mutation in the PH domain reduced movement velocity and processivity of individual UNC-104::GFP punctae in neurites. These results reveal a critical role for PI(4,5)P(2) binding in UNC-104-mediated axonal transport and shows that the cargo-binding properties of the distal PH domain can affect motor output.

SUBMITTER: Klopfenstein DR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC491832 | biostudies-other | 2004 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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The lipid binding pleckstrin homology domain in UNC-104 kinesin is necessary for synaptic vesicle transport in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Klopfenstein Dieter R DR Vale Ronald D RD

Molecular biology of the cell 20040521 8

UNC-104 (KIF1A) is a kinesin motor that transports synaptic vesicles from the neuronal cell body to the terminal. Previous in vitro studies have shown that a Dictyostelium relative of UNC-104 transports liposomes containing acidic phospholipids, but whether this interaction is needed for the recognition and transport of synaptic vesicles in metazoans remains unexplored. Here, we have introduced mutations in the nonmotor domain of UNC-104 and examined whether these mutant motors can rescue an unc ...[more]

PMID: 15155810

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Project description:Munc18-1/UNC-18 is believed to prime SNARE-mediated membrane fusion, yet the underlying mechanisms remain enigmatic. Here, we examine how potential gain-of-function mutations of Munc18-1/UNC-18 affect locomotory behavior and synaptic transmission, and how Munc18-1-mediated priming is related to Munc13-1/UNC-13 and Tomosyn/TOM-1, positive and negative SNARE regulators, respectively. We show that a Munc18-1(P335A)/UNC-18(P334A) mutation leads to significantly increased locomotory activity and acetylcholine release in Caenorhabditis elegans, as well as enhanced synaptic neurotransmission in cultured mammalian neurons. Importantly, similar to tom-1 null mutants, unc-18(P334A) mutants partially bypass the requirement of UNC-13. Moreover, unc-18(P334A) and tom-1 null mutations confer a strong synergy in suppressing the phenotypes of unc-13 mutants. Through biochemical experiments, we demonstrate that Munc18-1(P335A) exhibits enhanced activity in SNARE complex formation as well as in binding to the preformed SNARE complex, and partially bypasses the Munc13-1 requirement in liposome fusion assays. Our results indicate that Munc18-1/UNC-18 primes vesicle fusion downstream of Munc13-1/UNC-13 by templating SNARE complex assembly and acts antagonistically with Tomosyn/TOM-1.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT At presynaptic sites, SNARE-mediated membrane fusion is tightly regulated by several key proteins including Munc18/UNC-18, Munc13/UNC-13, and Tomosyn/TOM-1. However, how these proteins interact with each other to achieve the precise regulation of neurotransmitter release remains largely unclear. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model, we found that a gain-of-function mutant of UNC-18 increases locomotory activity and synaptic acetylcholine release, that it partially bypasses the requirement of UNC-13 for release, and that this bypass is synergistically augmented by the lack of TOM-1. We also elucidated the biochemical basis for the gain-of-function caused by this mutation. Thus, our study provides novel mechanistic insights into how Munc18/UNC-18 primes synaptic vesicle release and how this protein interacts functionally with Munc13/UNC-13 and Tomosyn/TOM-1.

Dataset Information

The lipid binding pleckstrin homology domain in UNC-104 kinesin is necessary for synaptic vesicle transport in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Publications

The lipid binding pleckstrin homology domain in UNC-104 kinesin is necessary for synaptic vesicle transport in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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