TY  - JOUR
A1  - Markert, Sebastian M.
A1  - Skoruppa, Michael
A1  - Yu, Bin
A1  - Mulcahy, Ben
A1  - Zhen, Mai
A1  - Gao, Shangbang
A1  - Sendtner, Michael
A1  - Stigloher, Christian
T1  - Overexpression of an ALS-associated FUS mutation in C. elegans disrupts NMJ morphology and leads to defective neuromuscular transmission
JF  - Biology Open
N2  - The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) neurodegenerative disorder has been associated with multiple genetic lesions, including mutations in the gene for fused in sarcoma (FUS), a nuclear-localized RNA/DNA-binding protein. Neuronal expression of the pathological form of FUS proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans results in mislocalization and aggregation of FUS in the cytoplasm, and leads to impairment of motility. However, the mechanisms by which the mutant FUS disrupts neuronal health and function remain unclear. Here we investigated the impact of ALS-associated FUS on motor neuron health using correlative light and electron microscopy, electron tomography, and electrophysiology. We show that ectopic expression of wild-type or ALS-associated human FUS impairs synaptic vesicle docking at neuromuscular junctions. ALS-associated FUS led to the emergence of a population of large, electron-dense, and filament-filled endosomes. Electrophysiological recording revealed reduced transmission from motor neurons to muscles. Together, these results suggest a pathological effect of ALS-causing FUS at synaptic structure and function organization.
KW  - C. elegans
KW  - fused in sarcoma
KW  - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
KW  - uper-resolution array tomography
KW  - electron tomography
KW  - neuromuscular junction
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-230662
VL  - 9
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Lichter, Katharina
A1  - Paul, Mila Marie
A1  - Pauli, Martin
A1  - Schoch, Susanne
A1  - Kollmannsberger, Philip
A1  - Stigloher, Christian
A1  - Heckmann, Manfred
A1  - Sirén, Anna-Leena
T1  - Ultrastructural analysis of wild-type and RIM1α knockout active zones in a large cortical synapse
JF  - Cell Reports
N2  - Rab3A-interacting molecule (RIM) is crucial for fast Ca\(^{2+}\)-triggered synaptic vesicle (SV) release in presynaptic active zones (AZs). We investigated hippocampal giant mossy fiber bouton (MFB) AZ architecture in 3D using electron tomography of rapid cryo-immobilized acute brain slices in RIM1α\(^{−/−}\) and wild-type mice. In RIM1α\(^{−/−}\), AZs are larger with increased synaptic cleft widths and a 3-fold reduced number of tightly docked SVs (0–2 nm). The distance of tightly docked SVs to the AZ center is increased from 110 to 195 nm, and the width of their electron-dense material between outer SV membrane and AZ membrane is reduced. Furthermore, the SV pool in RIM1α\(^{−/−}\) is more heterogeneous. Thus, RIM1α, besides its role in tight SV docking, is crucial for synaptic architecture and vesicle pool organization in MFBs.
KW  - active zone
KW  - acute brain slices
KW  - CA3
KW  - electron tomography
KW  - high-pressure freezing
KW  - hippocampal mossy fiber bouton
KW  - RIM1α
KW  - SV pool
KW  - synaptic ultrastructure
KW  - presynaptic
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-300913
VL  - 40
IS  - 12
ER  -