PUBLICATION

Neurobeachin controls the asymmetric subcellular distribution of electrical synapse proteins

Authors
Martin, E.A., Michel, J.C., Kissinger, J.S., Echeverry, F.A., Lin, Y.P., O'Brien, J., Pereda, A.E., Miller, A.C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-230514-28
Date
2023
Source
Current biology : CB   33(10): 2063-2074.e4 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Lin, Ya-Ping, Miller, Adam, O'Brien, John
Keywords
Connexin, Mauthner, Neurobeachin, ZO1, electrical synapse, neuronal gap junction, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Connexins/metabolism
  • Electrical Synapses*/physiology
  • Gap Junctions/metabolism
  • Neurons/physiology
  • Synapses/physiology
  • Zebrafish*/metabolism
PubMed
37172585 Full text @ Curr. Biol.
Abstract
The subcellular positioning of synapses and their specialized molecular compositions form the fundamental basis of neural circuits. Like chemical synapses, electrical synapses are constructed from an assortment of adhesion, scaffolding, and regulatory molecules, yet little is known about how these molecules localize to specific neuronal compartments. Here, we investigate the relationship between the autism- and epilepsy-associated gene Neurobeachin, the neuronal gap junction channel-forming Connexins, and the electrical synapse scaffold ZO1. Using the zebrafish Mauthner circuit, we find Neurobeachin localizes to the electrical synapse independently of ZO1 and Connexins. By contrast, we show Neurobeachin is required postsynaptically for the robust localization of ZO1 and Connexins. We demonstrate that Neurobeachin binds ZO1 but not Connexins. Finally, we find Neurobeachin is required to restrict electrical postsynaptic proteins to dendrites, but not electrical presynaptic proteins to axons. Together, the results reveal an expanded understanding of electrical synapse molecular complexity and the hierarchical interactions required to build neuronal gap junctions. Further, these findings provide novel insight into the mechanisms by which neurons compartmentalize the localization of electrical synapse proteins and provide a cell biological mechanism for the subcellular specificity of electrical synapse formation and function.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping