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PMID: 19528650 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Graded synaptic transmission at the Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junction.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 106 ·No. 26 ·2009-06-30 ·Pages 10823-8

Liu Q, Hollopeter G, Jorgensen EM

Abstract

Most neurotransmission is mediated by action potentials, whereas sensory neurons propagate electrical signals passively and release neurotransmitter in a graded manner. Here, we demonstrate that Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junctions release neurotransmitter in a graded fashion. When motor neurons were depolarized by light-activation of channelrhodopsin-2, the evoked postsynaptic current scaled with the strength of the stimulation. When motor neurons were hyperpolarized by light-activation of halorhodopsin, tonic release of synaptic vesicles was decreased. These data suggest that both evoked and tonic neurotransmitter release is graded in response to membrane potential. Acetylcholine synapses are depressed by high-frequency stimulation, in part due to desensitization of the nicotine-sensitve ACR-16 receptor. By contrast, GABA synapses facilitate before becoming depressed. Graded transmission and plasticity confer a broad dynamic range to these synapses. Graded release precisely transmits stimulation intensity, even hyperpolarizing inputs. Synaptic plasticity alters the balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs into the muscle in a use-dependent manner.

MeSH Terms
Acetylcholine/metabolism Animals Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics,metabolism,physiology Electric Stimulation Evoked Potentials/physiology,radiation effects Light Membrane Potentials/physiology,radiation effects Microscopy, Fluorescence Motor Neurons/cytology,metabolism,physiology Neuromuscular Junction/metabolism,physiology Neuronal Plasticity/physiology Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism Sensory Rhodopsins/genetics,metabolism Synaptic Transmission/physiology gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism
Chemicals
Neurotransmitter Agents Sensory Rhodopsins gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Acetylcholine
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Liu Qiang
Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0840, USA.
Hollopeter Gunther
Jorgensen Erik M
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.0903570106
Published
2009-06-30
Epub
2009-00-15
Pages
10823-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC2705609
Subset
IM
Grants
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS034307 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R37 NS034307 · United States
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · NS034307 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0903570106 PMC Full Text View journal details
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