PhD Dissertation- “Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Calcium-Dependent Release at C. elegans Synapses” by Mia Krout
May 5, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Title: Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Calcium-Dependent Release at C. elegans Synapses
Abstract: Efficient release of neurotransmitters is critical for information exchange between neurons and their targets. Active zone (AZ) proteins coordinate synaptic transmission by recruiting synaptic vesicles and calcium channels to sites of exocytosis, and priming vesicles for calcium-dependent release. This process is highly conserved and requires the coordinated function of many proteins: UNC-10/RIM (Rab3-interacting molecule) forms a complex with Rab3 on vesicles and UNC-13/MUNC-13 at release sites to position vesicles for priming. Upon Ca2+ influx, integral vesicle Ca2+-sensors named synaptotagmins (Syts) associate with the SNARE complex at the plasma membrane to facilitate fusion of docked vesicles and neurotransmitter release. For my PhD research, functional interactions of these and other AZ proteins have been further characterized to better understand the process by which synapse function is regulated. Using ultrastructural, functional and genetic analysis we have contributed to the understanding of how synaptotagmins and AZ proteins facilitate synaptic release. First, we identified a dual calcium sensor system of synaptotagmins that regulate calcium-dependent release at C. elegans neuromuscular junctions, and we demonstrated that the novel protein clarinet (CLA-1) is involved in the synaptic localization of core active zone proteins and calcium channels.
Date posted
Jan 28, 2022
Date updated
Apr 26, 2022