Abstract
We conducted a large-scale screen for Drosophila mutants that have structural abnormalities of the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ). We recovered mutations in wishful thinking (wit), a gene that positively regulates synaptic growth. wit encodes a BMP type II receptor. In wit mutant larvae, the size of the NMJs is greatly reduced relative to the size of the muscles. wit NMJs have reduced evoked excitatory junctional potentials, decreased levels of the synaptic cell adhesion molecule Fasciclin II, and synaptic membrane detachment at active zones. Wit is expressed by a subset of neurons, including motoneurons. The NMJ phenotype is specifically rescued by transgenic expression of Wit only in motoneurons. Thus, Wit appears to function as a presynaptic receptor that regulates synaptic size at the Drosophila NMJ.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified / abnormalities
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Animals, Genetically Modified / growth & development
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Animals, Genetically Modified / metabolism
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Body Patterning / genetics*
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / genetics
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / metabolism
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Cell Adhesion / genetics
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Central Nervous System / abnormalities*
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Central Nervous System / growth & development
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Central Nervous System / ultrastructure
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Down-Regulation / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
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Drosophila Proteins / isolation & purification
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Drosophila melanogaster / embryology*
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Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
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Drosophila melanogaster / ultrastructure
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Elapid Venoms / metabolism
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Female
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology*
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Genetic Testing
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Male
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation / genetics*
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Neuromuscular Junction / abnormalities*
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Neuromuscular Junction / growth & development
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Neuromuscular Junction / ultrastructure
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Neuronal Plasticity / genetics
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Neurotransmitter Agents / genetics
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Neurotransmitter Agents / metabolism
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / isolation & purification
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
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Signal Transduction / genetics
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Synaptic Membranes / genetics
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Synaptic Membranes / metabolism
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Synaptic Membranes / ultrastructure
Substances
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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Elapid Venoms
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Neurotransmitter Agents
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fasciculin
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
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Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II