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Fusion of synaptic vesicle membranes with planar bilayer membranes.

The interaction of synaptic vesicles with horizontal bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) was investigated as a model system for neurotransmitter release. High concentrations (200 mM) of the fluorescent dye, calcein, were trapped within synaptic vesicles by freezing and thawing. In the presence of divalent ions (usually 15 mM CaCl2), these frozen and thawed synaptic vesicles (FTSVs) adhere to squalene-based phosphatidylserine-phosphatidylethanolamine BLMs whereupon they spontaneously release their contents which is visible by fluorescence microscopy as bright flashes. The highest rate of release was obtained in KCl solutions. Release was virtually eliminated in isotonic glucose, but could be elicited by perfusion with KCl or by addition of urea. The fusion and lysis of adhering FTSVs appears to be the consequence of stress resulting from entry of permeable external solute (KCl, urea) and accompanying water. An analysis of flash diameters in experiments where Co+2, which quenches calcein fluorescence, was present on one or both sides of the BLM, indicates that more than half of the flashes represent fusion events, i.e., release of vesicle contents on the trans side of the BLM. A population of small, barely visible FTSVs bind to BLMs at calcium ion concentrations of 100 microM. Although fusion of these small FTSVs to BLMs could not be demonstrated, fusion with giant lipid vesicles was obvious and dramatic, albeit infrequent. Addition of FTSVs or synaptic vesicles to BLMs in the presence of 100 microM-15 mM Ca2+ produced large increases in BLM conductance. The results presented demonstrate that synaptic vesicles are capable of fusing with model lipid membranes in the presence of Ca+2 ion which, at the lower limit, may begin to approach physiological concentrations.

Animals↗

Protein and glycoprotein composition of subsynaptosomal fractions. Implications for Exocytosis and recycling of synaptic vesicles.

Highly enriched fractions of synaptic junctional complexes, synaptic vesicles, and coated vesicles were isolated from rat forebrains and compared, along with synaptosomal plasma membrane and its nonjunctional components, by discontinuous sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When stained for proteins with Coomassie blue, the gels all contained the same protein bands, only in different relative amounts. Mixing experiments revealed no additional bands. However, gel patterns of each fraction were not only quantitatively but also qualitatively different when stained for carbohydrate. These observations suggested that some of the protein bands may vary in their degree of glycosylation among the various synaptic fractions. Within the limits of resolution of the methods used here, these results are consistent with the morphological process of synaptic vesicle exocytosis and recycling but suggest the possibility of a reversible modification of certain membrane glycoproteins as they pass through the various membrane compartments.

Animals↗

Effects of synaptic vesicles on actin polymerization.

We have analyzed the effects of synaptic vesicles on actin polymerization by using a time-resolved spectrofluorometric assay. We have found that synaptic vesicles have complex effects on the kinetics of actin polymerization, which vary depending on whether the synaptic vesicle-specific phosphoprotein synapsin I is absent or present on their membrane. Synapsin I bound either to synaptic vesicles or to pure phospholipid vesicles exhibits phosphorylation-dependent actin-nucleating activity. Synaptic vesicles depleted of endogenous synapsin I decrease the rate and the final extent of actin polymerization, an effect which is not observed with pure phospholipid vesicles. Thus, the state of association of synapsin I with synaptic vesicles, which is modulated by its state of phosphorylation, may affect actin assembly and the physico-chemical characteristics of the synaptic vesicle microenvironment.

Actins↗

Trafficking of cell-surface beta-amyloid precursor protein: evidence that a sorting intermediate participates in synaptic vesicle recycling.

We recently demonstrated that the Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) is internalized from the axonal cell surface. In this study, we use biochemical and cell biological methods to characterize endocytotic compartments that participate in trafficking of APP in central neurons. APP is present in presynaptic clathrin-coated vesicles purified from bovine brain, together with the recycling synaptic vesicle integral membrane proteins synaptophysin, synaptotagmin, and SV2. In contrast, APP is largely excluded from synaptic vesicles purified from rat brain. In primary cerebellar macroneurons, cell-surface APP is internalized with recycling synaptic vesicle integral membrane proteins but is subsequently sorted away from synaptic vesicles and transported retrogradely to the neuronal soma. Internalized APP partially co-localizes with rab5a-containing compartments in axons and with V-ATPase-containing compartments in both axons and neuronal soma. These results provide direct biochemical evidence that an obligate sorting compartment participates in the regeneration of synaptic vesicles during exo/endocytotic recycling at nerve terminals but do not preclude concurrent "kiss-and-run" recycling. Moreover, APP is now, to our knowledge, the first demonstrated example of an axonal cell-surface protein that is internalized with recycling synaptic vesicle membrane proteins but is subsequently sorted away from synaptic vesicles.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗

Glucose and lactate are equally effective in energizing activity-dependent synaptic vesicle turnover in purified cortical neurons.

This study examines the role of glucose and lactate as energy substrates to sustain synaptic vesicle cycling. Synaptic vesicle turnover was assessed in a quantitative manner by fluorescence microscopy in primary cultures of mouse cortical neurons. An electrode-equipped perfusion chamber was used to stimulate cells both by electrical field and potassium depolarization during image acquisition. An image analysis procedure was elaborated to select in an unbiased manner synaptic boutons loaded with the fluorescent dye N-(3-triethylammoniumpropyl)-4-(4-(dibutylamino)styryl)pyridinium dibromide (FM1-43). Whereas a minority of the sites fully released their dye content following electrical stimulation, others needed subsequent K(+) depolarization to achieve full release. This functional heterogeneity was not significantly altered by the nature of metabolic substrates. Repetitive stimulation sequences of FM1-43 uptake and release were then performed in the absence of any metabolic substrate and showed that the number of active sites dramatically decreased after the first cycle of loading/unloading. The presence of 1 mM glucose or lactate was sufficient to sustain synaptic vesicle cycling under these conditions. Moreover, both substrates were equivalent for recovery of function after a phase of decreased metabolic substrate availability. Thus, lactate appears to be equivalent to glucose for sustaining synaptic vesicle turnover in cultured cortical neurons during activity.

Animals↗

[Synaptic vesicle proteins and psychiatric disorders].

Synaptic vesicle proteins modulate the release of neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft via regulation of vesicle transport, membrane fusion and exocytosis. Due to their relevance for neural and synaptic plasticity, they represent an important object of molecular psychiatric research. There is increasing evidence that they play a significant role in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, psychotropic drugs differentially modify the expression of synaptic vesicle proteins; thus, this group of molecules is also of considerable interest from a therapeutic point of view.

Brain↗

Genetics of synaptic vesicle function: toward the complete functional anatomy of an organelle.

Synaptic transmission starts with the release of neurotransmitters by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. As a relatively simple organelle with a limited number of components, synaptic vesicles are in principle accessible to complete structural and functional genetic analysis. At present, the majority of synaptic vesicle proteins has been characterized, and many have been genetically analyzed in mice, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans. These studies have shown that synaptic vesicles contain proteins with diverse structures and functions. Although the genetic studies are as yet unfinished, they promise to lead to a full description of synaptic vesicles as macromolecular machines involved in all aspects of presynaptic neurotransmitter release.

Animals↗

Evidence for recycling of synaptic vesicle membrane during transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction.

When the nerves of isolated frog sartorius muscles were stimulated at 10 Hz, synaptic vesicles in the motor nerve terminals became transiently depleted. This depletion apparently resulted from a redistribution rather than disappearance of synaptic vesicle membrane, since the total amount of membrane comprising these nerve terminals remained constant during stimulation. At 1 min of stimulation, the 30% depletion in synaptic vesicle membrane was nearly balanced by an increase in plasma membrane, suggesting that vesicle membrane rapidly moved to the surface as it might if vesicles released their content of transmitter by exocytosis. After 15 min of stimulation, the 60% depletion of synaptic vesicle membrane was largely balanced by the appearance of numerous irregular membrane-walled cisternae inside the terminals, suggesting that vesicle membrane was retrieved from the surface as cisternae. When muscles were rested after 15 min of stimulation, cisternae disappeared and synaptic vesicles reappeared, suggesting that cisternae divided to form new synaptic vesicles so that the original vesicle membrane was now recycled into new synaptic vesicles. When muscles were soaked in horseradish peroxidase (HRP), this tracerfirst entered the cisternae which formed during stimulation and then entered a large proportion of the synaptic vesicles which reappeared during rest, strengthening the idea that synaptic vesicle membrane added to the surface was retrieved as cisternae which subsequently divided to form new vesicles. When muscles containing HRP in synaptic vesicles were washed to remove extracellular HRP and restimulated, HRP disappeared from vesicles without appearing in the new cisternae formed during the second stimulation, confirming that a one-way recycling of synaptic membrane, from the surface through cisternae to new vesicles, was occurring. Coated vesicles apparently represented the actual mechanism for retrieval of synaptic vesicle membrane from the plasma membrane, because during nerve stimulation they proliferated at regions of the nerve terminals covered by Schwann processes, took up peroxidase, and appeared in various stages of coalescence with cisternae. In contrast, synaptic vesicles did not appear to return directly from the surface to form cisternae, and cisternae themselves never appeared directly connected to the surface. Thus, during stimulation the intracellular compartments of this synapse change shape and take up extracellular protein in a manner which indicates that synaptic vesicle membrane added to the surface during exocytosis is retrieved by coated vesicles and recycled into new synaptic vesicles by way of intermediate cisternae.

Animals↗

Synaptobrevin is essential for fast synaptic-vesicle endocytosis.

Synaptobrevin-2 (VAMP-2), the major SNARE protein of synaptic vesicles, is required for fast calcium-triggered synaptic-vesicle exocytosis. Here we show that synaptobrevin-2 is also essential for fast synaptic-vesicle endocytosis. We demonstrate that after depletion of the readily releasable vesicle pool, replenishment of the pool is delayed by knockout of synaptobrevin. This delay was not from a loss of vesicles, because the total number of pre-synaptic vesicles, docked vesicles and actively recycling vesicles was unaffected. However, altered shape and size of the vesicles in synaptobrevin-deficient synapses suggests a defect in endocytosis. Consistent with such a defect, the stimulus-dependent endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase and fluorescent FM1-43 were delayed, indicating that fast vesicle endocytosis may normally be nucleated by a SNARE-dependent coat. Thus, synaptobrevin is essential for two fast synapse-specific membrane trafficking reactions: fast exocytosis for neurotransmitter release and fast endocytosis that mediates rapid reuse of synaptic vesicles.

Animals↗

Interactions of synapsin I with small synaptic vesicles: distinct sites in synapsin I bind to vesicle phospholipids and vesicle proteins.

Synapsin I is a major neuron-specific phosphoprotein that is specifically localized to the cytoplasmic surface of small synaptic vesicles. In the present study, the binding of synapsin I to small synaptic vesicles was characterized in detail. The binding of synapsin I was preserved when synaptic vesicles were solubilized and reconstituted in phosphatidylcholine. After separation of the protein and lipid components of synaptic vesicles under nondenaturing conditions, synapsin I bound to both components. The use of hydrophobic labeling procedures allowed the assessment of interactions between phospholipids and synapsin I in intact synaptic vesicles. Hydrophobic photolabeling followed by cysteine-specific cleavage of synapsin I demonstrated that the head domain of synapsin I penetrates into the hydrophobic core of the bilayer. The purified NH2-terminal fragment, derived from the head domain by cysteine-specific cleavage, bound to synaptic vesicles with high affinity confirming the results obtained from hydrophobic photolabeling. Synapsin I binding to synaptic vesicles could be inhibited by the entire molecule or by the combined presence of the NH2-terminal and tail fragments, but not by an excess of either NH2-terminal or tail fragment alone. The purified tail fragment bound with relatively high affinity to synaptic vesicles, though it did not significantly interact with phospholipids. Binding of the tail fragment was competed by holosynapsin I; was greatly decreased by phosphorylation; and was abolished by high ionic strength conditions or protease treatment of synaptic vesicles. The data suggest the existence of two sites of interaction between synapsin I and small synaptic vesicles: binding of the head domain to vesicle phospholipids and of the tail domain to a protein component of the vesicle membrane. The latter interaction is apparently responsible for the salt and phosphorylation dependency of synapsin I binding to small synaptic vesicles.

Animals↗

Synaptic vesicle proteins in exocytosis: what do we know?

Synaptic release of neurotransmitters is a fast process that is mediated by Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Several abundant membrane proteins of synaptic vesicles have been characterized at the molecular level but their function in synaptic vesicle traffic is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that some of these proteins are involved in exocytotic membrane fusion.

Animals↗

Identification and characterization of Drosophila genes for synaptic vesicle proteins.

Proteins associated with synaptic vesicles are likely to control the release of neurotransmitter. Because synaptic transmission is fundamentally similar between vertebrates and invertebrates, vesicle proteins from vertebrates that are important for synaptic transmission should be present in Drosophila as well. This investigation describes Drosophila homologs of vamp, synaptotagmin, and rab3 that are expressed in a pattern consistent with a function in Drosophila neurotransmission. One previously reported candidate (syb), a Drosophila homolog of the vamp or synaptobrevin proteins, has been shown to be expressed at very low levels in neurons and is most abundant in the gut. A neuronal Drosophila vamp (n-syb) is described here and is localized to chromosome band 62A. Northern analysis and in situ hybridizations to mRNA indicate that the novel vamp, as well as the genes for synaptotagmin (syt) and rab3 (drab3), is expressed in the Drosophila nervous system. These genes are widely (perhaps ubiquitously) expressed in the nervous system and we have no evidence of additional neuronal isoforms of synaptotagmin, vamp, or rab3. Immunoreactivity for synaptotagmin and vamp is located in synaptic regions of the nervous system. This distribution suggests that these molecules are components of synaptic vesicles in Drosophila. The conserved structure and neuronal expression pattern of these genes indicate that they may function in processes that are required for both vertebrate and invertebrate synaptic transmission. Because of their distribution in the nervous system and because n-syb, synaptotagmin, and drab3 do not appear to be in a family of functionally redundant homologs, we predict that mutation of these genes will have a profound neurological phenotype and that they are therefore good candidates for a genetic dissection in Drosophila.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Proteins regulating neurotransmitter release of synaptic vesicles at nerve terminals].

Neurotransmitter release of synaptic vesicle at nerve terminals is a complicated and elaborately regulated process, involving a cascade of protein-protein interactions. The SNARE core complex consisting of synaptobrevin/VAMP (a synaptic-terminal protein), syntaxin and SNAP-25 (synaptic membrane-associated proteins), acts as the membrane fusion machinery and plays essential roles in synaptic vesicle exocytosis. This review will discuss proteins with potential roles in synaptic vesicle exocytosis by regulating assembly, disassembly and the function of SNARE complex, and sum up the molecular model of vesicle exocytosis.

Animals↗

Adenosine triphosphate-dependent uptake of glutamate into protein I-associated synaptic vesicles.

Protein I is a neuron-specific, synaptic phosphoprotein highly localized on the surface of synaptic vesicles. We have recently isolated anti-Protein I IgG by affinity chromatography and shown that these antibodies inhibit specifically the phosphorylation of Protein I (Naito, S., and Ueda, T. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 10657-10663). In an effort to characterize Protein I-associated synaptic vesicles with respect to the types of neurotransmitters, we have now developed a procedure, using the affinity-purified anti-Protein I IgG, which allows immunoprecipitation of those synaptic vesicles which contain Protein I. The isolated vesicles are largely free of contamination from other intracellular organelles and plasma membranes. We present evidence that these vesicles isolated from bovine cortex are able to accumulate L-glutamate specifically in an ATP-dependent, temperature-dependent but Na-independent manner. Thus, the structurally similar aminoacid neurotransmitters aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid, as well as other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and glycine, failed to show a significant ATP-dependent uptake into these vesicles. Moreover, the ATP-dependent glutamate uptake was not inhibited effectively by glutamine, aspartate, or gamma-aminobutyric acid. The ATP-dependent glutamate uptake requires ATP hydrolysis; thus there was little accumulation of glutamate in the absence of ATP or Mg2+, or when ATP was replaced by an unhydrolyzable beta, gamma-methylene ATP analog. The glutamate uptake appears to be driven at least in part by a membrane potential generated by Mg2+-ATPase, similar to that of the catecholamine and serotonin uptakes into storage granules. These observations suggest that Protein I may be involved in some aspect of the function of glutamate-containing synaptic vesicles in the brain.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Transport of catecholamines by native and reconstituted rat heart synaptic vesicles.

Highly purified "heavy" synaptic vesicles were isolated from rat heart by differential centrifugation. Because of the high intravesicular concentrations of proteins, catecholamine, and ATP, resealed vesicle ghosts were prepared and used to study the detailed kinetics of catecholamine transport. ATP stimulated the uptake of l-norepinephrine and was saturable with a Km for l-norepinephrine at 3.3 microM and 1.8 mM for ATP. The ghosts also accumulated 5-hydroxytryptamine and l-epinephrine via an ATP-dependent mechanism. Uptake was stereospecific for the l-form. A functional catecholamine transporter could be solubilized by the detergent octyl-glucoside and incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, which, after detergent removal, generated proteoliposomes that accumulated l-norepinephrine. Reserpine- and l-propranolol-sensitive accumulation against a concentration gradient is achieved by artificially creating a pH gradient across the membrane, and lends further support to the idea that at least the initial phase of catecholamine transport is driven by the trans-membrane pH gradient created by the proton-translocating ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

ATP-dependent directional movement of rat synaptic vesicles injected into the presynaptic terminal of squid giant synapse.

The question as to whether synaptic vesicles prepared from vertebrate brain can be transported to the active zones of the squid giant synapse was studied by using a combined optical and electrophysiological approach. In order to visualize the behavior of the vertebrate synaptic vesicles in situ, synaptic vesicles isolated from rat brain were labeled with a fluorescent dye (Texas red) and injected into the presynaptic terminal of the squid giant synapse. The pattern of fluorescence that would result from passive diffusion was determined by coinjection of an unconjugated fluorescent dye (fluorescein). The patterns obtained with fluorescent synaptic vesicles were strikingly different from that obtained by simple diffusion of fluorescein. Although the fluorescein diffused freely in both directions, the vesicles moved preferentially into the terminal--i.e., toward the release sites--at a rate of 0.5 microns/sec. The final distribution of the injected fluorescent synaptic vesicles displayed a discrete localization that suggested a distribution coincident with the active zones of the presynaptic terminal. Like fast axonal transport, but unlike fluorescein movements in the terminal, the vesicle movement was energy dependent, since the addition of 2,4-dinitrophenol blocked the redistribution of vesicles completely. In addition, reduction of extracellular calcium concentration reversibly blocked vesicular movement as well. In conclusion, mammalian synaptic vesicles retain the cytoplasmic surface components necessary for translocation, sorting, and targeting to the proper locations by the native machinery of the squid giant synapse.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗

Characterization of nucleotide transport into rat brain synaptic vesicles.

ATP transport to synaptic vesicles from rat brain has been studied using the fluorescent substrate analogue 1,N6-ethenoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (epsilon-ATP). The increase in intravesicular concentration was time dependent for the first 30 min, epsilon-ATP being the most abundant nucleotide. The complexity of the saturation curve indicates the existence of kinetic and allosteric cooperativity in the nucleotide transport, which exhibits various affinity states with K0.5 values of 0.39 +/- 0.06 and 3.8 +/- 0.1 mM with epsilon-ATP as substrate. The Vmax values obtained were 13.5 +/- 1.4 pmol x min(-1) x mg of protein(-1) for the first curve and 28.3 +/- 1.6 pmol x min(-1) x mg of protein(-1) considering both components. This kinetic behavior can be explained on the basis of a mnemonic model. The nonhydrolyzable adenine nucleotide analogues adenosine 5'-O-3-(thiotriphosphate), adenosine 5'-O-2-(thiodiphosphate), and adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imino)triphosphate and the diadenosine polyphosphates P1,P3-di(adenosine)triphosphate, P1,P4-di(adenosine)tetraphosphate, and P1,P5-di(adenosine)pentaphosphate inhibited the nucleotide transport. The mitochondrial ATP/ADP exchange inhibitor atractyloside, N-ethylmaleimide, and polysulfonic aromatic compounds such as Evans blue and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid also inhibit epsilon-ATP vesicular transport.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Methods for analysis of Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport activity in synaptic vesicles isolated from sheep brain cortex.

The involvement of Ca(2+)-storage organelles in the modulation of synaptic transmission is well-established [M.K. Bennett, Ca(2+) and the regulation of neurotransmitter secretion, Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 7 (1997) 316-322 [1]; M.J. Berridge, Neuronal calcium signaling, Neuron 21 (1998) 13-26 [2]; Ph. Fossier, L. Tauc, G. Baux, Calcium transients and neurotransmitter release at an identified synapse, Trends Neurosci. 22 (1999) 161-166 [7] ]. Various Ca(2+) sequestering reservoirs (mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and synaptic vesicles) have been reported at the level of brain nerve terminals [P. Kostyuk, A. Verkhratsky, Calcium stores in neurons and glia, Neuroscience 63 (1994) 381-404 [18]; V. Mizuhira, H. Hasegawa, Microwave fixation and localization of calcium in synaptic terminals using X-ray microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy imaging, Brain Res. Bull. 43 (1997) 53-58 [21]; A. Parducz, Y. Dunant, Transient increase of calcium in synaptic vesicles after stimulation, Neuroscience 52 (1993) 27-33 [23]; O.H. Petersen, Can Ca(2+) be released from secretory granules or synaptic vesicles?, Trends Neurosci. 19 (1996) 411-413 [24] ]. However, the knowledge of the specific contribution of each compartment for spatial and temporal control of the cytoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration requires detailed characterization of the Ca(2+) uptake and Ca(2+) release mechanisms by the distinct intracellular stores. In this work, we described rapid and simple experimental procedures for analysis of a Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport system that transport Ca(2+) into synaptic vesicles at expenses of the energy of a DeltapH generated either by activity of the proton pump or by a pH jumping of the vesicles passively loaded with protons. This secondary active Ca(2+) transport system requires high Ca(2+)100 microM) for activation, it is dependent on the chemical component (DeltapH) of the proton electrochemical gradient across the synaptic vesicle membrane and its selectivity is essentially determined by the size of the transported cation [P.P. Gonçalves, S.M. Meireles, C. Gravato, M.G. P. Vale, Ca(2+)-H(+)-Antiport activity in synaptic vesicles isolated from sheep brain cortex, Neurosci. Lett. 247 (1998) 87-90 [10]; P.P. Gonçalves, S.M. Meireles, P. Neves, M.G.P. Vale, Ionic selectivity of the Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport in synaptic vesicles of sheep brain cortex, Mol. Brain Res. 67 (1999) 283-291 [11]; P.P. Gonçalves, S.M. Meireles, P. Neves, M.G.P. Vale, Synaptic vesicle Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport: dependence on the proton electrochemical gradient, Mol. Brain Res. 71 (1999) 178-184 [12] ]. The protocols described here allow to ascertain the characteristics of the Ca(2+)/H(+) antiport in synaptic vesicles and, therefore, may be useful for clarification of the physiological role of synaptic vesicles in fast buffering of Ca(2+) at various sites of the neurotransmission machinery.

Acridine Orange↗