Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Publication

Drosophila melanogaster Scramblases modulate synaptic transmission

Acharya, Usha
Edwards, Michael Beth
Jorquera, Ramon A.
Silva, Hugo
Nagashima, Kunio
Labarca, Pedro
Acharya, Jairaj K.
Embargo Expiration Date
Link to Full Text
Abstract

Scramblases are a family of single-pass plasma membrane proteins, identified by their purported ability to scramble phospholipids across the two layers of plasma membrane isolated from platelets and red blood cells. However, their true in vivo role has yet to be elucidated. We report the generation and isolation of null mutants of two Scramblases identified in Drosophila melanogaster. We demonstrate that flies lacking either or both of these Scramblases are not compromised in vivo in processes requiring scrambling of phospholipids. Instead, we show that D. melanogaster lacking both Scramblases have more vesicles and display enhanced recruitment from a reserve pool of vesicles and increased neurotransmitter secretion at the larval neuromuscular synapses. These defects are corrected by the introduction of a genomic copy of the Scramb 1 gene. The lack of phenotypes related to failure of scrambling and the neurophysiological analysis lead us to propose that Scramblases play a modulatory role in the process of neurotransmission.

Source

J Cell Biol. 2006 Apr 10;173(1):69-82. Link to article on publisher's site

Year of Medical School at Time of Visit
Sponsors
Dates of Travel
DOI
10.1083/jcb.200506159
PubMed ID
16606691
Other Identifiers
Notes
Funding and Acknowledgements
Corresponding Author
Related Resources
Related Resources
Repository Citation
Rights
Distribution License