The molecule which determines where in the synaptic gap neurotransmitters are released has been pinpointed by scientists working at the Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP) and their colleagues at the Freie Universität Berlin (FU). The finding contributes to our understanding of synaptic transmission and may improve our ability to explain pathological processes in the nervous system.
Whether we hear, remember, or swim, our nervous system always responds, and always works by turning electric signals into chemical information and vice versa. This happens in the areas of contact between nerve cells called synapses.
An incoming electrical signal at the synapse triggers the inflow of calcium via voltage-dependent calcium channels. In turn, this calcium inflow releases chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) within just a few milliseconds.
The vesicles fuse with the cell membrane in the blink of an eye. The adjacent nerve cell will then convert the chemical signal back into an electric signal.
Scientists call this process ‘synaptic transmission’ – an elemental process in living organisms.
Neurotransmission Of Information
It is well-known that many vesicles crowd every synapse. However, the release of neurotransmitters occurs in only a few specific spots.
Reminiscent of starting blocks on a cinder track, the collocation of the release sites in relation to the calcium channels seems crucial for the synaptic transmission. In both instances, the proper distance determines how fast the finishing line can be reached.
In neurotransmission, it determines how fast the electrical signal can be turned into chemical information. Until recently, however, the molecule charting the release sites eluded us.
Now, researchers were able to identify the charting molecule.
Unc13A
It is the protein Unc13A, and it is well-known to scientists. The protein was discovered in the 1970s.
Whenever this protein malfunctioned in roundworms, the movements of these worms became UNCoordinated, thus earning the protein its name. Given the effect of Unc13 on worms, finding an important function for this protein would have been no surprise to scientists even shortly after its discovery.
“We knew that the molecule plays an important role in information transfer because there is no synaptic transmission in its absence. Still, we were not aware that this protein determines the neurotransmitter release site,”
FMP neuroscientist Dr. Alexander Walter explained.
Spatial And Temporal Relation
Scientists took nearly four years and used combinations of various measurements and optical methods to track the protein Unc13A down firmly. Changing the location of Unc13A protein in the synapse, and the distance to the calcium channel with it, also shifted the release site of the neurotransmitter.
Moving the protein also changed the temporal course of synaptic transmission, equivalent to moving starting blocks relative to the finish line. Depending on the distance, information transfer takes more or less time.
This proves that the spatial arrangement of the release sites is tightly coupled to the temporal course of the information flow between nerve cells. Dr. Alexander Walter emphasizes:
“Our experiments revealed that the exact positioning ensures that synaptic transmission proceeds at the proper speed. I am sure everybody can imagine how important this is for the accurate communication between nerve cells and for the operating mode of the brain.”
Beyond Basic Research
The discovery contributes significantly to understanding the organization of synaptic transmission. A large gap in the neurosciences has been closed.
The scientists used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster for their experiments. However, the protein Unc13 also occurs in higher organisms, including humans. Therefore, it is very likely that the principle of defined release sites applies across species.
“We must first understand the basics of synaptic transmission before we will be able to understand pathological changes just as we must understand how a car works before we can repair it,”
argues Dr. Walter. For this reason, the identification of the molecule is relevant above and beyond basic research. One day, the discovery may benefit patients with neurological diseases.
Reference:
- Reddy-Alla, Suneel et al. Stable Positioning of Unc13 Restricts Synaptic Vesicle Fusion to Defined Release Sites to Promote Synchronous Neurotransmission. Neuron, 95(6), 1350–1364.e12.
Last Updated on February 24, 2023