Acute induction of conserved synaptic signaling pathways in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Analyses of early molecular and cellular events associated with long-term plasticity remain hampered in Drosophila by the lack of an acute procedure to activate signal transduction pathways, gene expression patterns, and other early cellular events associated with long-term synaptic change. Here we describe the development and first use of such a technique. Bursts of neural activity induced in Drosophila comatosets and CaP60A Kumts mutants, with conditional defects in N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor 1 and sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, respectively, result in persistent (>4 hr) activation of neuronal extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). ERK activation at the larval neuromuscular junction coincides with rapid reduction of synaptic Fasciclin II; in soma, nuclear translocation of activated ERK occurs together with increased transcription of the immediate-early genes Fos and c/EBP (CCAAT element binding protein). The effect of "seizure-stimulation" on ERK activation requires neural activity and is mediated through activation of MEK (MAPK/erk kinase), the MAPKK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase) that functions upstream of ERK. Our results (1) provide direct proof for the conservation of synaptic signaling pathways in arthropods, (2) demonstrate the utility of a new genetic tool for analysis of synaptic plasticity in Drosophila, and (3) potentially enable new proteomic and genomic analyses of activity-regulated molecules in an important model organism.

publication date

  • July 16, 2003

has subject area

has restriction

  • bronze

Date in CU Experts

  • September 9, 2013 10:43 AM

Full Author List

  • Hoeffer CA; Sanyal S; Ramaswami M

author count

  • 3

Other Profiles

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1529-2401

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 6362

end page

  • 6372

volume

  • 23

issue

  • 15