The presynaptic active zone protein bassoon is essential for photoreceptor ribbon synapse formation in the retina

The photoreceptor ribbon synapse is a highly specialized glutamatergic synapse designed for the continuous flow of synaptic vesicles to the neurotransmitter release site. The molecular mechanisms underlying ribbon synapse formation are poorly understood. We have investigated the role of the presynaptic cytomatrix protein Bassoon, a major component of the photoreceptor ribbon, in a mouse retina deficient of functional Bassoon protein. Photoreceptor ribbons lacking Bassoon are not anchored to the presynaptic active zones. This results in an impaired photoreceptor synaptic transmission, an abnormal dendritic branching of neurons postsynaptic to photoreceptors, and the formation of ectopic synapses. These findings suggest a critical role of Bassoon in the formation and the function of photoreceptor ribbon synapses of the mammalian retina.     

Bassoon and Piccolo maintain synapse integrity by regulating protein ubiquitination and degradation

The presynaptic active zone (AZ) is a specialized microdomain designed for the efficient and repetitive release of neurotransmitter. Bassoon and Piccolo are two high molecular weight components of the AZ, with hypothesized roles in its assembly and structural maintenance. However, glutamatergic synapses lacking either protein exhibit relatively minor defects, presumably due to their significant functional redundancy. In the present study, we have used interference RNAs to eliminate both proteins from glutamatergic synapses, and find that they are essential for maintaining synaptic integrity. Loss of Bassoon and Piccolo leads to the aberrant degradation of multiple presynaptic proteins, culminating in synapse degeneration. This phenotype is mediated in part by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Siah1, an interacting partner of Bassoon and Piccolo whose activity is negatively regulated by their conserved zinc finger domains. Our findings demonstrate a novel role for Bassoon and Piccolo as critical regulators of presynaptic ubiquitination and proteostasis.     

Piccolo, a presynaptic zinc finger protein structurally related to bassoon

Piccolo is a novel component of the presynaptic cytoskeletal matrix (PCM) assembled at the active zone of neurotransmitter release. Analysis of its primary structure reveals that Piccolo is a multidomain zinc finger protein structurally related to Bassoon, another PCM protein. Both proteins were found to be shared components of glutamatergic and GABAergic CNS synapses but not of the cholinergic neuromuscular junction. The Piccolo zinc fingers were found to interact with the dual prenylated rab3A and VAMP2/Synaptobrevin II receptor PRA1. We show that PRA1 is a synaptic vesicle-associated protein that is colocalized with Piccolo in nerve terminals of hippocampal primary neurons. These data suggest that Piccolo plays a role in the trafficking of synaptic vesicles (SVs) at the active zone.     

Bassoon speeds vesicle reloading at a central excitatory synapse

Sustained rate-coded signals encode many types of sensory modalities. Some sensory synapses possess specialized ribbon structures, which tether vesicles, to enable high-frequency signaling. However, central synapses lack these structures, yet some can maintain signaling over a wide bandwidth. To analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms, we investigated the function of the active zone core component Bassoon in cerebellar mossy fiber to granule cell synapses. We show that short-term synaptic depression is enhanced in Bassoon knockout mice during sustained high-frequency trains but basal synaptic transmission is unaffected. Fluctuation and quantal analysis as well as quantification with constrained short-term plasticity models revealed that the vesicle reloading rate was halved in the absence of Bassoon. Thus, our data show that the cytomatrix protein Bassoon speeds the reloading of vesicles to release sites at a central excitatory synapse.     

Investigating interactions mediated by the presynaptic protein bassoon in living cells by Foerster's resonance energy transfer and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Neuronal synapses are highly specialized structures for communication between nerve cells. Knowledge about their molecular organization and dynamics is still incomplete. The large multidomain protein Bassoon plays a major role in scaffolding and organizing the cytomatrix at the active zone of neurotransmitter release in presynaptic boutons. Utilizing immunofluorescence techniques, we show that Bassoon is essential for corecruitment of its synaptic interaction partners, C-terminal binding protein 1/brefeldin A-dependent ADP-ribosylation substrate and CAZ-associated structural protein, into protein complexes upon heterologous expression in COS-7 cells. A combination of Foerster's resonance energy transfer and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy in the time domain was adopted to investigate the potential for the association of these proteins in the same complexes. A direct physical association between Bassoon and CtBP1 could also be observed at synapses of living hippocampal neurons. Simultaneous analysis of fluorescence decays of the donor and the acceptor probes along with their decay-associated spectra allowed a clear discrimination of energy transfer.     

Active zone protein Bassoon co-localizes with presynaptic calcium channel, modifies channel function, and recovers from aging related loss by exercise

The P/Q-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) are essential for synaptic transmission at adult mammalian neuromuscular junctions (NMJs); however, the subsynaptic location of VDCCs relative to active zones in rodent NMJs, and the functional modification of VDCCs by the interaction with active zone protein Bassoon remain unknown. Here, we show that P/Q-type VDCCs distribute in a punctate pattern within the NMJ presynaptic terminals and align in three dimensions with Bassoon. This distribution pattern of P/Q-type VDCCs and Bassoon in NMJs is consistent with our previous study demonstrating the binding of VDCCs and Bassoon. In addition, we now show that the interaction between P/Q-type VDCCs and Bassoon significantly suppressed the inactivation property of P/Q-type VDCCs, suggesting that the Ca(2+) influx may be augmented by Bassoon for efficient synaptic transmission at NMJs. However, presynaptic Bassoon level was significantly attenuated in aged rat NMJs, which suggests an attenuation of VDCC function due to a lack of this interaction between VDCC and Bassoon. Importantly, the decreased Bassoon level in aged NMJs was ameliorated by isometric strength training of muscles for two months. The training increased Bassoon immunoreactivity in NMJs without affecting synapse size. These results demonstrated that the P/Q-type VDCCs preferentially accumulate at NMJ active zones and play essential role in synaptic transmission in conjunction with the active zone protein Bassoon. This molecular mechanism becomes impaired by aging, which suggests altered synaptic function in aged NMJs. However, Bassoon level in aged NMJs can be improved by muscle exercise.     

Bassoon and the synaptic ribbon organize Ca²+ channels and vesicles to add release sites and promote refilling

At the presynaptic active zone, Ca2+ influx triggers fusion of synaptic vesicles. It is not well understood how Ca2+ channel clustering and synaptic vesicle docking are organized. Here, we studied structure and function of hair cell ribbon synapses following genetic disruption of the presynaptic scaffold protein Bassoon. Mutant synapses--mostly lacking the ribbon--showed a reduction in membrane-proximal vesicles, with ribbonless synapses affected more than ribbon-occupied synapses. Ca2+ channels were also fewer at mutant synapses and appeared in abnormally shaped clusters. Ribbon absence reduced Ca2+ channel numbers at mutant and wild-type synapses. Fast and sustained exocytosis was reduced, notwithstanding normal coupling of the remaining Ca2+ channels to exocytosis. In vitro recordings revealed a slight impairment of vesicle replenishment. Mechanistic modeling of the in vivo data independently supported morphological and functional in vitro findings. We conclude that Bassoon and the ribbon (1) create a large number of release sites by organizing Ca2+ channels and vesicles, and (2) promote vesicle replenishment.     

Regulation of Presynaptic Anchoring of the Scaffold Protein Bassoon by Phosphorylation-Dependent Interaction with 14-3-3 Adaptor Proteins

The proper organization of the presynaptic cytomatrix at the active zone is essential for reliable neurotransmitter release from neurons. Despite of the virtual stability of this tightly interconnected proteinaceous network it becomes increasingly clear that regulated dynamic changes of its composition play an important role in the processes of synaptic plasticity. Bassoon, a core component of the presynaptic cytomatrix, is a key player in structural organization and functional regulation of presynaptic release sites. It is one of the most highly phosphorylated synaptic proteins. Nevertheless, to date our knowledge about functions mediated by any one of the identified phosphorylation sites of Bassoon is sparse. In this study, we have identified an interaction of Bassoon with the small adaptor protein 14-3-3, which depends on phosphorylation of the 14-3-3 binding motif of Bassoon. In vitro phosphorylation assays indicate that phosphorylation of the critical Ser-2845 residue of Bassoon can be mediated by a member of the 90-kDa ribosomal S6 protein kinase family. Elimination of Ser-2845 from the 14-3-3 binding motif results in a significant decrease of Bassoon''s molecular exchange rates at synapses of living rat neurons. We propose that the phosphorylation-induced 14-3-3 binding to Bassoon modulates its anchoring to the presynaptic cytomatrix. This regulation mechanism might participate in molecular and structural presynaptic remodeling during synaptic plasticity.     

Assembly of active zone precursor vesicles: obligatory trafficking of presynaptic cytomatrix proteins Bassoon and Piccolo via a trans-Golgi compartment

Neurotransmitter release from presynaptic nerve terminals is restricted to specialized areas of the plasma membrane, so-called active zones. Active zones are characterized by a network of cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins involved in active zone generation and synaptic transmission. To analyze the modes of biogenesis of this cytomatrix, we asked how Bassoon and Piccolo, two prototypic active zone cytomatrix molecules, are delivered to nascent synapses. Although these proteins may be transported via vesicles, little is known about the importance of a vesicular pathway and about molecular determinants of cytomatrix molecule trafficking. We found that Bassoon and Piccolo co-localize with markers of the trans-Golgi network in cultured neurons. Impairing vesicle exit from the Golgi complex, either using brefeldin A, recombinant proteins, or a low temperature block, prevented transport of Bassoon out of the soma. Deleting a newly identified Golgi-binding region of Bassoon impaired subcellular targeting of recombinant Bassoon. Overexpressing this region to specifically block Golgi binding of the endogenous protein reduced the concentration of Bassoon at synapses. These results suggest that, during the period of bulk synaptogenesis, a primordial cytomatrix assembles in a trans-Golgi compartment. They further indicate that transport via Golgi-derived vesicles is essential for delivery of cytomatrix proteins to the synapse. Paradigmatically this establishes Golgi transit as an obligatory step for subcellular trafficking of distinct cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins.     

Drosophila CAPS is an essential gene that regulates dense-core vesicle release and synaptic vesicle fusion

Calcium-activated protein for secretion (CAPS) is proposed to play an essential role in Ca2+-regulated dense-core vesicle exocytosis in vertebrate neuroendocrine cells. Here we report the cloning, mutation, and characterization of the Drosophila ortholog (dCAPS). Null dCAPS mutants display locomotory deficits and complete embryonic lethality. The mutant NMJ reveals a 50% loss in evoked glutamatergic transmission, and an accumulation of synaptic vesicles at active zones. Importantly, dCAPS mutants display a highly specific 3-fold accumulation of dense-core vesicles in synaptic terminals, which was not observed in mutants that completely arrest synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Targeted transgenic CAPS expression in identified motoneurons fails to rescue dCAPS neurotransmission defects, demonstrating a cell nonautonomous role in synaptic vesicle fusion. We conclude that dCAPS is required for dense-core vesicle release and that a dCAPS-dependent mechanism modulates synaptic vesicle release at glutamatergic synapses.     

Dynein light chain regulates axonal trafficking and synaptic levels of Bassoon

Bassoon and the related protein Piccolo are core components of the presynaptic cytomatrix at the active zone of neurotransmitter release. They are transported on Golgi-derived membranous organelles, called Piccolo-Bassoon transport vesicles (PTVs), from the neuronal soma to distal axonal locations, where they participate in assembling new synapses. Despite their net anterograde transport, PTVs move in both directions within the axon. How PTVs are linked to retrograde motors and the functional significance of their bidirectional transport are unclear. In this study, we report the direct interaction of Bassoon with dynein light chains (DLCs) DLC1 and DLC2, which potentially link PTVs to dynein and myosin V motor complexes. We demonstrate that Bassoon functions as a cargo adapter for retrograde transport and that disruption of the Bassoon–DLC interactions leads to impaired trafficking of Bassoon in neurons and affects the distribution of Bassoon and Piccolo among synapses. These findings reveal a novel function for Bassoon in trafficking and synaptic delivery of active zone material.     

Neurexin-neuroligin signaling in synapse development

Neurexins and neuroligins are emerging as central organizing molecules for excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory GABAergic synapses in mammalian brain. They function as cell adhesion molecules, bridging the synaptic cleft. Remarkably, each partner can trigger formation of a hemisynapse: neuroligins trigger presynaptic differentiation and neurexins trigger postsynaptic differentiation. Recent protein interaction assays and cell culture studies indicate a selectivity of function conferred by alternative splicing in both partners. An insert at site 4 of beta-neurexins selectively promotes GABAergic synaptic function, whereas an insert at site B of neuroligin 1 selectively promotes glutamatergic synaptic function. Initial knockdown and knockout studies indicate that neurexins and neuroligins have an essential role in synaptic transmission, particularly at GABAergic synapses, but further studies are needed to assess the in vivo functions of these complex protein families.     

Piccolo modulation of Synapsin1a dynamics regulates synaptic vesicle exocytosis

Active zones are specialized regions of the presynaptic plasma membrane designed for the efficient and repetitive release of neurotransmitter via synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis. Piccolo is a high molecular weight component of the active zone that is hypothesized to participate both in active zone formation and the scaffolding of key molecules involved in SV recycling. In this study, we use interference RNAs to eliminate Piccolo expression from cultured hippocampal neurons to assess its involvement in synapse formation and function. Our data show that Piccolo is not required for glutamatergic synapse formation but does influence presynaptic function by negatively regulating SV exocytosis. Mechanistically, this regulation appears to be calmodulin kinase II-dependent and mediated through the modulation of Synapsin1a dynamics. This function is not shared by the highly homologous protein Bassoon, which indicates that Piccolo has a unique role in coupling the mobilization of SVs in the reserve pool to events within the active zone.     

Synaptogenesis of hippocampal neurons in primary cell culture

Hippocampal neurons in dissociated cell culture are one of the most extensively used model systems in the field of molecular and cellular neurobiology. Only limited data are however available on the normal time frame of synaptogenesis, synapse number and ultrastructure of excitatory synapses during early development in culture. Therefore, we analyzed the synaptic ultrastructure and morphology and the localization of presynaptic (Bassoon) and postsynaptic (ProSAP1/Shank2) marker proteins in cultures established from rat embryos at embryonic day 19, after 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days in culture. First excitatory synapses were identified at day 7 with a clearly defined postsynaptic density and presynaptically localized synaptic vesicles. Mature synapses on dendritic spines were seen from day 10 onward, and the number of synapses steeply increased in the third week. Fenestrated or multiple synapses were found after 14 or 21 days, respectively. So-called dense-core vesicles, responsible for the transport of proteins to the active zone of the presynaptic specialization, were seen on cultivation day 3 and 7 and could be detected in axons and especially in the presynaptic subcompartments. The expression and localization of the presynaptic protein Bassoon and of the postsynaptic molecule ProSAP1/Shank2 was found to correlate nicely with the ultrastructural results. This regular pattern of development and maturation of excitatory synapses in hippocampal culture starting from day 7 in culture should ease the comparison of synapse number and morphology of synaptic contacts in this widely used model system.     

Bassoon,a Novel Zinc-finger CAG/Glutamine-repeat Protein Selectively Localized at the Active Zone of Presynaptic Nerve Terminals

The molecular architecture of the cytomatrix of presynaptic nerve terminals is poorly understood. Here we show that Bassoon, a novel protein of >400,000 M _r, is a new component of the presynaptic cytoskeleton. The murine bassoon gene maps to chromosome 9F. A comparison with the corresponding rat cDNA identified 10 exons within its protein-coding region. The Bassoon protein is predicted to contain two double-zinc fingers, several coiled-coil domains, and a stretch of polyglutamines (24 and 11 residues in rat and mouse, respectively). In some human proteins, e.g., Huntingtin, abnormal amplification of such poly-glutamine regions causes late-onset neurodegeneration. Bassoon is highly enriched in synaptic protein preparations. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Bassoon colocalizes with the synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin and Piccolo, a presynaptic cytomatrix component. At the ultrastructural level, Bassoon is detected in axon terminals of hippocampal neurons where it is highly concentrated in the vicinity of the active zone. Immunogold labeling of synaptosomes revealed that Bassoon is associated with material interspersed between clear synaptic vesicles, and biochemical studies suggest a tight association with cytoskeletal structures. These data indicate that Bassoon is a strong candidate to be involved in cytomatrix organization at the site of neurotransmitter release.     

Synapse-specific and developmentally regulated targeting of AMPA receptors by a family of MAGUK scaffolding proteins

Trafficking of AMPA receptors (AMPA-Rs) to and from synapses controls the strength of excitatory synaptic transmission. However, proteins that cluster AMPA-Rs at synapses remain poorly understood. Here we show that PSD-95-like membrane-associated guanylate kinases (PSD-MAGUKs) mediate this synaptic targeting, and we uncover a remarkable functional redundancy within this protein family. By manipulating endogenous neuronal PSD-MAGUK levels, we find that both PSD-95 and PSD-93 independently mediate AMPA-R targeting at mature synapses. We also reveal unanticipated synapse heterogeneity as loss of either PSD-95 or PSD-93 silences largely nonoverlapping populations of excitatory synapses. In adult PSD-95 and PSD-93 double knockout animals, SAP-102 is upregulated and compensates for the loss of synaptic AMPA-Rs. At immature synapses, PSD-95 and PSD-93 play little role in synaptic AMPA-R clustering; instead, SAP-102 dominates. These studies establish a PSD-MAGUK-specific regulation of AMPA-R synaptic expression that establishes and maintains glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the mammalian central nervous system.     

Signaling across the synapse: a role for Wnt and Dishevelled in presynaptic assembly and neurotransmitter release

Proper dialogue between presynaptic neurons and their targets is essential for correct synaptic assembly and function. At central synapses, Wnt proteins function as retrograde signals to regulate axon remodeling and the accumulation of presynaptic proteins. Loss of Wnt7a function leads to defects in the localization of presynaptic markers and in the morphology of the presynaptic axons. We show that loss of function of Dishevelled-1 (Dvl1) mimics and enhances the Wnt7a phenotype in the cerebellum. Although active zones appear normal, electrophysiological recordings in cerebellar slices from Wnt7a/Dvl1 double mutant mice reveal a defect in neurotransmitter release at mossy fiber-granule cell synapses. Deficiency in Dvl1 decreases, whereas exposure to Wnt increases, synaptic vesicle recycling in mossy fibers. Dvl increases the number of Bassoon clusters, and like other components of the Wnt pathway, it localizes to synaptic sites. These findings demonstrate that Wnts signal across the synapse on Dvl-expressing presynaptic terminals to regulate synaptic assembly and suggest a potential novel function for Wnts in neurotransmitter release.     

Bassoon's part in two presynaptic orchestras

The protein Bassoon is found in the cytoskeletal matrix at the active zone of conventional synapses and in presynaptic ribbons of photoreceptor synapses. Two new studies in Neuron show that Bassoon's most prominent role at conventional synapses is to enable vesicle cycling, whereas, in photoreceptors it attaches the ribbon to the presynaptic membrane.     

Identification and Immunocytochemical Characterization of Piccolino,a Novel Piccolo Splice Variant Selectively Expressed at Sensory Ribbon Synapses of the Eye and Ear

Piccolo is one of the largest cytomatrix proteins present at active zones of chemical synapses, where it is suggested to play a role in recruiting and integrating molecules relevant for both synaptic vesicle exo- and endocytosis. Here we examined the retina of a Piccolo-mutant mouse with a targeted deletion of exon 14 in the Pclo gene. Piccolo deficiency resulted in its profound loss at conventional chemical amacrine cell synapses but retinal ribbon synapses were structurally and functionally unaffected. This led to the identification of a shorter, ribbon-specific Piccolo variant, Piccolino, present in retinal photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, as well as in inner hair cells of the inner ear. By RT-PCR analysis and the generation of a Piccolino-specific antibody we show that non-splicing of intron 5/6 leads to premature translation termination and generation of the C-terminally truncated protein specifically expressed at active zones of ribbon synapse containing cell types. With in situ proximity ligation assays we provide evidence that this truncation leads to the absence of interaction sites for Bassoon, Munc13, and presumably also ELKS/CAST, RIM2, and the L-type Ca^{2 +} channel which exist in the full-length Piccolo at active zones of conventional chemical synapses. The putative lack of interactions with proteins of the active zone suggests a function of Piccolino at ribbon synapses of sensory neurons different from Piccolo’s function at conventional chemical synapses.