Pre-post synaptic alignment through neuroligin-1 tunes synaptic transmission efficiency
- Université de Bordeaux, France
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, United States
Abstract
The nanoscale organization of neurotransmitter receptors regarding pre-synaptic release sites is a fundamental determinant of the synaptic transmission amplitude and reliability. How modifications in the pre- and post-synaptic machineries alignment affects synaptic currents, has only been addressed with computer modelling. Using single molecule super-resolution microscopy, we found a strong spatial correlation between AMPA receptor (AMPAR) nanodomains and the post-synaptic adhesion protein neuroligin-1 (NLG1). Expression of a truncated form of NLG1 disrupted this correlation without affecting the intrinsic AMPAR organization, shifting the pre-synaptic release machinery away from AMPAR nanodomains. Electrophysiology in dissociated and organotypic hippocampal rodent cultures shows these treatments significantly decrease AMPAR-mediated miniature and EPSC amplitudes. Computer modelling predicts that ~100nm lateral shift between AMPAR nanoclusters and glutamate release sites induces a significant reduction in AMPAR-mediated currents. Thus, our results suggest the synapses necessity to release glutamate precisely in front of AMPAR nanodomains, to maintain a high synaptic responses efficiency.
Data availability
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files.
Article and author information
Author details
Dolors Grillo-Bosch
Terrence J Sejnowski
Funding
Agence Nationale de la Recherche (NanoDom)
- Mathieu Letellier
- Daniel Choquet
- Olivier Thoumine
- Eric Hosy
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Mathieu Letellier
- Matthieu Sainlos
- Daniel Choquet
- Olivier Thoumine
- Eric Hosy
Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
- Benjamin Compans
H2020 European Research Council (nano-dyn-syn)
- Kalina T Haas
- Benjamin Compans
- Dolors Grillo-Bosch
- Matthieu Sainlos
- Daniel Choquet
- Eric Hosy
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: These experiments have been conducted in France, the rat Ratus norvegicus, in accordance with directive 86/609/EEC of 19 October 1986, on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. It was followed in France by 3 rulings in 1987, 2001, 2005 (article R214-87 and R214-130 of the rural code) and 3 rulings of 19 April 1988. An ethical system complemented this regulation since 2008, with harmonization of the commitments between the private and the public sector, by the signature of the National Charter for ethical animal experimentation by institutions in animal experimentation ethics (EAA) and by the CNREEA (Centre national of ethical reflection on animal experiments). Our projects are therefore assessed by the Ethics Committee No 50 of Bordeaux attached to the CNREEA. Thanks to our preparation, we will be ready to apply from January 1St, 2013, the 63-2010-EU directive which transcribed in French law will be published on November 12, 2012 in the form of 2 decree (Code Rural R214-87 to 138) and 4 bylaws.
Copyright
© 2018, Haas et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Pre-post synaptic alignment through neuroligin-1 tunes synaptic transmission efficiency
eLife 7:e31755.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.31755
Further reading
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- Neuroscience
Gamma oscillations in brain activity (30–150 Hz) have been studied for over 80 years. Although in the past three decades significant progress has been made to try to understand their functional role, a definitive answer regarding their causal implication in perception, cognition, and behavior still lies ahead of us. Here, we first review the basic neural mechanisms that give rise to gamma oscillations and then focus on two main pillars of exploration. The first pillar examines the major theories regarding their functional role in information processing in the brain, also highlighting critical viewpoints. The second pillar reviews a novel research direction that proposes a therapeutic role for gamma oscillations, namely the gamma entrainment using sensory stimulation (GENUS). We extensively discuss both the positive findings and the issues regarding reproducibility of GENUS. Going beyond the functional and therapeutic role of gamma, we propose a third pillar of exploration, where gamma, generated endogenously by cortical circuits, is essential for maintenance of healthy circuit function. We propose that four classes of interneurons, namely those expressing parvalbumin (PV), vasointestinal peptide (VIP), somatostatin (SST), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) take advantage of endogenous gamma to perform active vasomotor control that maintains homeostasis in the neuronal tissue. According to this hypothesis, which we call GAMER (GAmma MEdiated ciRcuit maintenance), gamma oscillations act as a ‘servicing’ rhythm that enables efficient translation of neural activity into vascular responses that are essential for optimal neurometabolic processes. GAMER is an extension of GENUS, where endogenous rather than entrained gamma plays a fundamental role. Finally, we propose several critical experiments to test the GAMER hypothesis.
