Experience-dependent formation and recruitment of large vesicles from reserve pool

Neuron. 2006 Jun 1;50(5):723-33. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.04.025.

Abstract

The sizes and contents of transmitter-filled vesicles have been shown to vary depending on experimental manipulations resulting in altered quantal sizes. However, whether such a presynaptic regulation of quantal size can be induced under physiological conditions as a potential alternative mechanism to alter the strength of synaptic transmission is unknown. Here we show that presynaptic vesicles of glutamatergic synapses of Drosophila neuromuscular junctions increase in size as a result of high natural crawling activities of larvae, leading to larger quantal sizes and enhanced evoked synaptic transmission. We further show that these larger vesicles are formed during a period of enhanced replenishment of the reserve pool of vesicles, from which they are recruited via a PKA- and actin-dependent mechanism. Our results demonstrate that natural behavior can induce the formation, recruitment, and release of larger vesicles in an experience-dependent manner and hence provide evidence for an additional mechanism of synaptic potentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Drosophila / physiology*
  • Gene Expression
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Larva / physiology
  • Locomotion / physiology*
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Neuromuscular Junction / physiology*
  • Neuromuscular Junction / ultrastructure
  • Presynaptic Terminals / physiology
  • Presynaptic Terminals / ultrastructure
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology*
  • Synaptic Vesicles / physiology*
  • Synaptic Vesicles / ultrastructure
  • Vesicular Glutamate Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Vesicular Glutamate Transport Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Vesicular Glutamate Transport Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins