Synapsin IIa Bundles Actin Filaments

Abstract: Synapsins are neuron-specific phosphoproteins associated with small synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic nerve terminal. Synapsin I, which has been demonstrated to bundle F-actin in vitro, has been postulated to regulate neurotransmitter release by cross-linking synaptic vesicles to the actin cytoskeleton. To investigate the possible interaction of synapsin II with actin filaments, we expressed synapsin II in Spodoptera frugiperda and High Five insect cells using a recombinant baculovirus. Purified recombinant synapsin IIa was incubated with F-actin, and bundle formation was evaluated by light scattering and electron microscopy. Synapsin IIa was found to bundle actin filaments. Dose-response curves indicated that synapsin IIa was more potent than synapsin I in bundling actin filaments. These data suggest that synapsin IIa may cross-link synaptic vesicles and actin filaments in the nerve terminal.     

The synapsins and the regulation of synaptic function

Synapsin I and II are a family of synaptic vesicle-associated phosphoproteins involved in the short-term regulation of neurotransmitter release. In this review, we discuss a working model for the molecular mechanisms by which the synapsins act. We propose that synapsin I links synaptic vesicles to actin filaments in the presynaptic nerve terminal and that these interactions are modulated by the reversible phosphorylation of synapsin I through various signal transduction pathways. The high degree of homology between the synapsins suggests that some of the functional properties of synapsin I are also shared by synapsin II.     

Synapsin I, a neuron-specific phosphoprotein interacting with small synaptic vesicles and F-actin

Synapsin I is a neuron-specific phosphoprotein which is a substrate for cAMP- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. It is specifically localized to the cytoplasmic side of small synaptic vesicles. The interaction of synapsin I with the synaptic vesicle membrane is complex in nature, since it is modulated by phosphorylation and involves binding of different domains of the molecule to phospholipid and protein components of synaptic vesicles. Synapsin I is also able to interact with actin filaments in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Because of these properties, it has been hypothesized that synapsin I acts as a dynamic link between synaptic vesicles an the actin meshwork of the nerve terminal, thereby modulating the release of neurotransmitter.     

Effects of the neuronal phosphoprotein synapsin I on actin polymerization. I. Evidence for a phosphorylation-dependent nucleating effect.

Synapsin I is a synaptic vesicle-specific phosphoprotein which is able to bind and bundle actin filaments in a phosphorylation-dependent fashion. In the present paper we have analyzed the effects of synapsin I on the kinetics of actin polymerization and their modulation by site-specific phosphorylation of synapsin I. We found that dephosphorylated synapsin I accelerates the initial rate of actin polymerization and decreases the rate of filament elongation. The effect was observed at both low and high ionic strength, was specific for synapsin I, and was still present when polymerization was triggered by F-actin seeds. Dephosphorylated synapsin I was also able to induce actin polymerization and bundle formation in the absence of KCl and MgCl2. The effects of synapsin I were strongly decreased after its phosphorylation by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. These observations suggest that synapsin I has a phosphorylation-dependent nucleating effect on actin polymerization. The data are compatible with the view that changes in the phosphorylation state of synapsin I play a functional role in regulating the interactions between the nerve terminal cytoskeleton and synaptic vesicles in various stages of the exoendocytotic cycle.     

Association of synapsin I with neuronal cytoskeleton. Identification in cytoskeletal preparations in vitro and immunocytochemical localization in brain of synapsin I

Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) is associated with microtubule preparations and phosphorylates several endogenous proteins including microtubule-associated protein 2, tubulin, and an 80,000-dalton protein doublet (pp80). We now report that pp80 is identical to synapsin I by all criteria studied including molecular weight, isoelectric point, phosphopeptide mapping of cAMP- and calmodulin-dependent phosphorylated protein, comigration with authentic synapsin I, and sensitivity to digestion with collagenase. Synapsin I and CaM kinase II were found in association with both microtubule preparations and preparations enriched in neurofilaments. Antibodies to synapsin I specifically labeled neurofilaments prepared in vitro. Immunocytochemical studies on rat brain tissue demonstrated synapsin I immunoreactivity specifically associated with the neuronal cytoskeleton as well as synaptic vesicles. The observed synapsin I staining on cytoskeletal elements was considerably diminished or abolished by the inclusion of Triton X-100 in the staining solutions. These results indicate that synapsin I is associated with the cytoskeleton and may be an important link between cytoskeletal elements as well as between the cytoskeleton and membrane.     

Specificity of the binding of synapsin I to Src homology 3 domains

Synapsins are synaptic vesicle-associated phosphoproteins involved in synapse formation and regulation of neurotransmitter release. Recently, synapsin I has been found to bind the Src homology 3 (SH3) domains of Grb2 and c-Src. In this work we have analyzed the interactions between synapsins and an array of SH3 domains belonging to proteins involved in signal transduction, cytoskeleton assembly, or endocytosis. The binding of synapsin I was specific for a subset of SH3 domains. The highest binding was observed with SH3 domains of c-Src, phospholipase C-gamma, p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, full-length and NH(2)-terminal Grb2, whereas binding was moderate with the SH3 domains of amphiphysins I/II, Crk, alpha-spectrin, and NADPH oxidase factor p47(phox) and negligible with the SH3 domains of p21(ras) GTPase-activating protein and COOH-terminal Grb2. Distinct sites in the proline-rich COOH-terminal region of synapsin I were found to be involved in binding to the various SH3 domains. Synapsin II also interacted with SH3 domains with a partly distinct binding pattern. Phosphorylation of synapsin I in the COOH-terminal region by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II or mitogen-activated protein kinase modulated the binding to the SH3 domains of amphiphysins I/II, Crk, and alpha-spectrin without affecting the high affinity interactions. The SH3-mediated interaction of synapsin I with amphiphysins affected the ability of synapsin I to interact with actin and synaptic vesicles, and pools of synapsin I and amphiphysin I were shown to associate in isolated nerve terminals. The ability to bind multiple SH3 domains further implicates the synapsins in signal transduction and protein-protein interactions at the nerve terminal level.     

Synapsin I: an actin-bundling protein under phosphorylation control

Synapsin I is a neuronal phosphoprotein comprised of two closely related polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 78,000 and 76,000. It is found in association with the small vesicles clustered at the presynaptic junction. Its precise role is unknown, although it probably participates in vesicle clustering and/or release. Synapsin I is known to associate with vesicle membranes, microtubules, and neurofilaments. We have examined the interaction of purified phosphorylated and unphosphorylated bovine and human synapsin I with tubulin and actin filaments, using cosedimentation, viscometric, electrophoretic, and morphologic assays. As purified from brain homogenates, synapsin I decreases the steady-state viscosity of solutions containing F-actin, enhances the sedimentation of actin, and bundles actin filaments. Phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent kinase has minimal effect on this interaction, while phosphorylation by brain extracts or by purified calcium- and calmodulin-dependent kinase II reduces its actin-bundling and -binding activity. Synapsin's microtubule-binding activity, conversely, is stimulated after phosphorylation by the brain extract. Two complementary peptide fragments of synapsin generated by 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic cleavage and which map to opposite ends of the molecule participate in the bundling process, either by binding directly to actin or by binding to other synapsin I molecules. 2-Nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic peptides arising from the central portion of the molecule demonstrate neither activity. In vivo, synapsin I may link small synaptic vesicles to the actin-based cortical cytoskeleton, and coordinate their availability for release in a Ca++-dependent fashion.     

The actin cytoskeleton and neurotransmitter release: an overview

Here we review evidence that actin and its binding partners are involved in the release of neurotransmitters at synapses. The spatial and temporal characteristics of neurotransmitter release are determined by the distribution of synaptic vesicles at the active zones, presynaptic sites of secretion. Synaptic vesicles accumulate near active zones in a readily releasable pool that is docked at the plasma membrane and ready to fuse in response to calcium entry and a secondary, reserve pool that is in the interior of the presynaptic terminal. A network of actin filaments associated with synaptic vesicles might play an important role in maintaining synaptic vesicles within the reserve pool. Actin and myosin also have been implicated in the translocation of vesicles from the reserve pool to the presynaptic plasma membrane. Refilling of the readily releasable vesicle pool during intense stimulation of neurotransmitter release also implicates synapsins as reversible links between synaptic vesicles and actin filaments. The diversity of actin binding partners in nerve terminals suggests that actin might have presynaptic functions beyond synaptic vesicle tethering or movement. Because most of these actin-binding proteins are regulated by calcium, actin might be a pivotal participant in calcium signaling inside presynaptic nerve terminals. However, there is no evidence that actin participates in fusion of synaptic vesicles.     

Synapsin is a novel Rab3 effector protein on small synaptic vesicles. II. Functional effects of the Rab3A-synapsin I interaction

Synapsins, a family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins that play an important role in the regulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking and neurotransmitter release, were recently demonstrated to interact with the synaptic vesicle-associated small G protein Rab3A within nerve terminals (Giovedi, S., Vaccaro, P., Valtorta, F., Darchen, F., Greengard, P., Cesareni, G., and Benfenati, F. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 43760-43768). We have analyzed the functional consequences of this interaction on the biological activities of both proteins and on their subcellular distribution within nerve terminals. The presence of synapsin I stimulated GTP binding and GTPase activity of both purified and endogenous synaptic vesicle-associated Rab3A. Conversely, Rab3A inhibited synapsin I binding to F-actin, as well as synapsin-induced actin bundling and vesicle clustering. Moreover, the amount of Rab3A associated with synaptic vesicles was decreased in synapsin knockout mice, and the presence of synapsin I prevented RabGDI-induced Rab3A dissociation from synaptic vesicles. The results indicate that an interaction between synapsin I and Rab3A exists on synaptic vesicles that modulates the functional properties of both proteins. Given the well recognized importance of both synapsins and Rab3A in synaptic vesicles exocytosis, this interaction is likely to play a major role in the modulation of neurotransmitter release.     

Tetanus Toxin Inhibits Depolarization-Stimulated Protein Phosphorylation in Rat Cortical Synaptosomes: Effect on Synapsin I Phosphorylation and Translocation

Synapsin I, a prominent phosphoprotein in nerve terminals, is proposed to modulate exocytosis by interaction with the cytoplasmic surface of small synaptic vesicles and cytoskeletal elements in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Tetanus toxin (TeTx), a potent inhibitor of neurotransmitter release, attenuated the depolarization-stimulated increase in synapsin I phosphorylation in rat cortical particles and in synaptosomes. TeTx also markedly decreased the translocation of synapsin I from the small synaptic vesicles and the cytoskeleton into the cytosol, on depolarization of synaptosomes. The effect of TeTx on synapsin I phosphorylation was both time and TeTx concentration dependent and required active toxin. One- and two-dimensional peptide maps of synapsin I with V8 proteinase and trypsin, respectively, showed no differences in the relative phosphorylation of peptides for the control and TeTx-treated synaptosomes, suggesting that both the calmodulin- and the cyclic AMP-dependent kinases that label this protein are equally affected. Phosphorylation of synapsin IIb and the B-50 protein (GAP43), a known substrate of protein kinase C, was also inhibited by TeTx. TeTx affected only a limited number of phosphoproteins and the calcium-dependent decrease in dephosphin phosphorylation remained unaffected. In vitro phosphorylation of proteins in lysed synaptosomes was not influenced by prior TeTx treatment of the intact synaptosomes or by the addition of TeTx to lysates, suggesting that the effect of TeTx on protein phosphorylation was indirect. Our data demonstrate that TeTx inhibits neurotransmitter release, the phosphorylation of a select group of phosphoproteins in nerve terminals, and the translocation of synapsin I. These findings contribute to our understanding of the basic mechanism of TeTx action.     

Neuronal compartments and axonal transport of synapsin I

Studies on the transport kinetics and the posttranslational modification of synapsin I in mouse retinal ganglion cells were performed to obtain an insight into the possible factors involved in forming the structural and functional differences between the axon and its terminals. Synapsin I, a neuronal phosphoprotein associated with small synaptic vesicles and cytoskeletal elements at the presynaptic terminals, is thought to be involved in modulating neurotransmitter release. The state of phosphorylation of synapsin I in vitro regulates its interaction with both synaptic vesicles and cytoskeletal components, including microtubules and microfilaments. Here we present the first evidence that in the mouse retinal ganglion cells most synapsin I is transported down the axon, together with the cytomatrix proteins, at the same rate as the slow component b of axonal transport, and is phosphorylated at both the head and tail regions. In addition, our data suggest that, after synapsin I has reached the nerve endings, the relative proportions of variously phosphorylated synapsin I molecules change, and that these changes lead to a decrease in the overall content of phosphorus. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that, in vivo, the phosphorylation of synapsin I along the axon prevents the formation of a dense network that could impair organelle movement. On the other hand, the dephosphorylation of synapsin I at the nerve endings may regulate the clustering of small synaptic vesicles and modulate neurotransmitter release by controlling the availability of small synaptic vesicles for exocytosis.     

Synapsin II. Mapping of a domain in the NH2-terminal region which binds to small synaptic vesicles

The synapsins are a family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins that selectively bind to small synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic nerve terminal. Using the cDNA encoding rat synapsin IIb, we employed an Escherichia coli expression system to synthesize a variety of fusion proteins containing a truncated protein A linked to different portions of the NH2-terminal region of synapsin II. The recombinant proteins were purified by IgG-Sepharose chromatography and tested in vitro for their ability to bind to purified synaptic vesicles. These experiments identified a region between amino acids 43 and 121 of the amino-terminal portion of synapsin II which binds to synaptic vesicles. Mild trypsinization of synaptic vesicles reduces binding of recombinant proteins to synaptic vesicles, suggesting that the interaction between synapsin II and the vesicles is in part mediated by a synaptic vesicle protein. The 42 NH2-terminal amino acids of synapsin II are not necessary for binding to synaptic vesicles, although this domain contains the phosphorylation site for cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Protein Phosphorylation and Neuronal Function

Studies in the past several years have provided direct evidence that protein phosphorylation is involved in the regulation of neuronal function. Electrophysiological experiments have demonstrated that three distinct classes of protein kinases, i.e., cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, and CaM kinase II, modulate physiological processes in neurons. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and kinase C have been shown to modify potassium and calcium channels, and CaM kinase II has been shown to enhance neurotransmitter release. A large number of substrates for these protein kinases have been found in neurons. In some cases (e.g., tyrosine hydroxylase, acetylcholine receptor, sodium channel) these proteins have a known function, whereas most of these proteins (e.g., synapsin I) had no known function when they were first identified as phosphoproteins. In the case of synapsin I, evidence now suggests that it regulates neurotransmitter release. These studies of synapsin I suggest that the characterization of previously unknown neuronal phosphoproteins will lead to the elucidation of previously unknown regulatory processes in neurons.     

Synapsin is a novel Rab3 effector protein on small synaptic vesicles. I. Identification and characterization of the synapsin I-Rab3 interactions in vitro and in intact nerve terminals

Synapsins, a family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins, have been demonstrated to regulate the availability of synaptic vesicles for exocytosis by binding to both synaptic vesicles and the actin cytoskeleton in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Although the above-mentioned observations strongly support a pre-docking role of the synapsins in the assembly and maintenance of a reserve pool of synaptic vesicles, recent results suggest that the synapsins may also be involved in some later step of exocytosis. In order to investigate additional interactions of the synapsins with nerve terminal proteins, we have employed phage display library technology to select peptide sequences binding with high affinity to synapsin I. Antibodies raised against the peptide YQYIETSMQ (syn21) specifically recognized Rab3A, a synaptic vesicle-specific small G protein implicated in multiple steps of exocytosis. The interaction between synapsin I and Rab3A was confirmed by photoaffinity labeling experiments on purified synaptic vesicles and by the formation of a chemically cross-linked complex between synapsin I and Rab3A in intact nerve terminals. Synapsin I could be effectively co-precipitated from synaptosomal extracts by immobilized recombinant Rab3A in a GTP-dependent fashion. In vitro binding assays using purified proteins confirmed the binding preference of synapsin I for Rab3A-GTP and revealed that the COOH-terminal regions of synapsin I and the Rab3A effector domain are required for the interaction with Rab3A to occur. The data indicate that synapsin I is a novel Rab3 interactor on synaptic vesicles and suggest that the synapsin-Rab3 interaction may participate in the regulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking within the nerve terminals.     

Characterization of synapsin I fragments produced by cysteine-specific cleavage: a study of their interactions with F-actin

Synapsin I is a neuron-specific phosphoprotein that is concentrated in the presynaptic nerve terminal in association with the cytoplasmic surface of synaptic vesicles. It has been demonstrated to bundle F-actin in a phosphorylation-dependent manner in vitro, a property consistent with its proposed role in linking synaptic vesicles to the cytoskeleton and its involvement in the regulation of neurotransmitter release. Synapsin I is composed of two distinct domains, a COOH terminal, collagenase-sensitive, hydrophilic, and strongly basic tail region, and an NH2 terminal, collagenase-resistant head region relatively rich in hydrophobic amino acids. To elucidate the structural basis for the interactions between synapsin I and F-actin and how it relates to other characteristics of synapsin I, we have performed a structure-function analysis of fragments of synapsin I produced by cysteine-specific cleavage with 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid. The fragments were identified and aligned with the parent molecule using the deduced primary structure of synapsin I and the known phosphorylation sites as markers. We have purified these fragments and examined their interactions with F-actin. Two distinct fragments, a 29-kD NH2-terminal fragment and a 15-kD middle fragment, were shown to contain F-actin binding sites. A 51/54-kD middle/tail fragment retained the F-actin binding and bundling activity of synapsin I, but the isolated tail fragment did not retain either activity. In contrast to phosphorylation of sites two and three in intact synapsin I, which abolishes F-actin bundling activity, phosphorylation of these sites in the middle/tail fragment failed to abolish this activity. In conclusion, three domains of synapsin I appear to be involved in F-actin binding and bundling.     

Synapsin phosphorylation by SRC tyrosine kinase enhances SRC activity in synaptic vesicles

Synapsins are synaptic vesicle-associated phosphoproteins implicated in the regulation of neurotransmitter release. Synapsin I is the major binding protein for the SH3 domain of the kinase c-Src in synaptic vesicles. Its binding leads to stimulation of synaptic vesicle-associated c-Src activity. We investigated the mechanism and role of Src activation by synapsins on synaptic vesicles. We found that synapsin is tyrosine phosphorylated by c-Src in vitro and on intact synaptic vesicles independently of its phosphorylation state on serine. Mass spectrometry revealed a single major phosphorylation site at Tyr(301), which is highly conserved in all synapsin isoforms and orthologues. Synapsin tyrosine phosphorylation triggered its binding to the SH2 domains of Src or Fyn. However, synapsin selectively activated and was phosphorylated by Src, consistent with the specific enrichment of c-Src in synaptic vesicles over Fyn or n-Src. The activity of Src on synaptic vesicles was controlled by the amount of vesicle-associated synapsin, which is in turn dependent on synapsin serine phosphorylation. Synaptic vesicles depleted of synapsin in vitro or derived from synapsin null mice exhibited greatly reduced Src activity and tyrosine phosphorylation of other synaptic vesicle proteins. Disruption of the Src-synapsin interaction by internalization of either the Src SH3 or SH2 domains into synaptosomes decreased synapsin tyrosine phosphorylation and concomitantly increased neurotransmitter release in response to Ca(2+)-ionophores. We conclude that synapsin is an endogenous substrate and activator of synaptic vesicle-associated c-Src and that regulation of Src activity on synaptic vesicles participates in the regulation of neurotransmitter release by synapsin.     

The cytoskeletal architecture of the presynaptic terminal and molecular structure of synapsin 1

We have examined the cytoskeletal architecture and its relationship with synaptic vesicles in synapses by quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy (QF.DE). The main cytoskeletal elements in the presynaptic terminals (neuromuscular junction, electric organ, and cerebellar cortex) were actin filaments and microtubules. The actin filaments formed a network and frequently were associated closely with the presynaptic plasma membranes and active zones. Short, linking strands approximately 30 nm long were found between actin and synaptic vesicles, between microtubules and synaptic vesicles. Fine strands (30-60 nm) were also found between synaptic vesicles. Frequently spherical structures existed in the middle of the strands between synaptic vesicles. Another kind of strand (approximately 100 nm long, thinner than the actin filaments) between synaptic vesicles and plasma membranes was also observed. We have examined the molecular structure of synapsin 1 and its relationship with actin filaments, microtubules, and synaptic vesicles in vitro using the low angle rotary shadowing technique and QF.DE. The synapsin 1, approximately 47 nm long, was composed of a head (approximately 14 nm diam) and a tail (approximately 33 nm long), having a tadpole-like appearance. The high resolution provided by QF.DE revealed that a single synapsin 1 cross-linked actin filaments and linked actin filaments with synaptic vesicles, forming approximately 30-nm short strands. The head was on the actin and the tail was attached to the synaptic vesicle or actin filament. Microtubules were also cross-linked by a single synapsin 1, which also connected a microtubule to synaptic vesicles, forming approximately 30 nm strands. The spherical head was on the microtubules and the tail was attached to the synaptic vesicles or to microtubules. Synaptic vesicles incubated with synapsin 1 were linked with each other via fine short fibrils and frequently we identified spherical structures from which two or three fibril radiated and cross-linked synaptic vesicles. We have examined the localization of synapsin 1 using ultracryomicrotomy and colloidal gold-immunocytochemistry of anti-synapsin 1 IgG. Synapsin 1 was exclusively localized in the regions occupied by synaptic vesicles. Statistical analyses indicated that synapsin 1 is located mostly at least approximately 30 nm away from the presynaptic membrane. These data derived via three different approaches suggest that synapsin 1 could be a main element of short linkages between actin filaments and synaptic vesicles, and between microtubules and synaptic vesicles, and between synaptic vesicles in the nerve terminals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Glycosylation Sites Flank Phosphorylation Sites on Synapsin I

Synapsin I is concentrated in nerve terminals, where it appears to anchor synaptic vesicles to the cytoskeleton and thereby ensures a steady supply of fusion-competent synaptic vesicles. Although phosphorylation-dependent binding of synapsin I to cytoskeletal elements and synaptic vesicles is well characterized, little is known about synapsin I's O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modifications. Here, we identified seven in vivo O-GlcNAcylation sites on synapsin I by analysis of HPLC-purified digests of rat brain synapsin I. The seven O-GlcNAcylation sites (Ser55, Thr56, Thr87, Ser516, Thr524, Thr562, and Ser576) in synapsin I are clustered around its five phosphorylation sites in domains B and D. The proximity of phosphorylation sites to O-GlcNAcylation sites in the regulatory domains of synapsin I suggests that O-GlcNAcylation may modulate phosphorylation and indirectly affect synapsin I interactions. With use of synthetic peptides, however, the presence of an O-GlcNAc at sites Thr562 and Ser576 resulted in only a 66% increase in the Km of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation of site Ser566 with no effect on its Vmax. We conclude that O-GlcNAcylation likely plays a more direct role in synapsin I interactions than simply modulating the protein's phosphorylation.     

Colocalization of synapsin and actin during synaptic vesicle recycling

It has been hypothesized that in the mature nerve terminal, interactions between synapsin and actin regulate the clustering of synaptic vesicles and the availability of vesicles for release during synaptic activity. Here, we have used immunogold electron microscopy to examine the subcellular localization of actin and synapsin in the giant synapse in lamprey at different states of synaptic activity. In agreement with earlier observations, in synapses at rest, synapsin immunoreactivity was preferentially localized to a portion of the vesicle cluster distal to the active zone. During synaptic activity, however, synapsin was detected in the pool of vesicles proximal to the active zone. In addition, actin and synapsin were found colocalized in a dynamic filamentous cytomatrix at the sites of synaptic vesicle recycling, endocytic zones. Synapsin immunolabeling was not associated with clathrin-coated intermediates but was found on vesicles that appeared to be recycling back to the cluster. Disruption of synapsin function by microinjection of antisynapsin antibodies resulted in a prominent reduction of the cytomatrix at endocytic zones of active synapses. Our data suggest that in addition to its known function in clustering of vesicles in the reserve pool, synapsin migrates from the synaptic vesicle cluster and participates in the organization of the actin-rich cytomatrix in the endocytic zone during synaptic activity.     

alphaKAP is an anchoring protein for a novel CaM kinase II isoform in skeletal muscle.

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) is present in a membrane-bound form that phosphorylates synapsin I on neuronal synaptic vesicles and the ryanodine receptor at skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), but it is unclear how this soluble enzyme is targeted to membranes. We demonstrate that alphaKAP, a non-kinase protein encoded by a gene within the gene of alpha-CaM kinase II, can target the CaM kinase II holoenzyme to the SR membrane. Our results indicate that alphaKAP (i) is anchored to the membrane via its N-terminal hydrophobic domain, (ii) can co-assemble with catalytically competent CaM kinase II isoforms and target them to the membrane regardless of their state of activation, and (iii) is co-localized and associated with rat skeletal muscle CaM kinase II in vivo. alphaKAP is therefore the first demonstrated anchoring protein for CaM kinase II. CaM kinase II assembled with alphaKAP retains normal enzymatic activity and the ability to become Ca2+-independent following autophosphorylation. A new variant of beta-CaM kinase II, termed betaM-CaM kinase II, is one of the predominant CaM kinase II isoforms associated with alphaKAP in skeletal muscle SR.