TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mrestani, Achmed
A1  - Lichter, Katharina
A1  - Sirén, Anna-Leena
A1  - Heckmann, Manfred
A1  - Paul, Mila M.
A1  - Pauli, Martin
T1  - Single-molecule localization microscopy of presynaptic active zones in Drosophila melanogaster after rapid cryofixation
JF  - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
N2  - Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) greatly advances structural studies of diverse biological tissues. For example, presynaptic active zone (AZ) nanotopology is resolved in increasing detail. Immunofluorescence imaging of AZ proteins usually relies on epitope preservation using aldehyde-based immunocompetent fixation. Cryofixation techniques, such as high-pressure freezing (HPF) and freeze substitution (FS), are widely used for ultrastructural studies of presynaptic architecture in electron microscopy (EM). HPF/FS demonstrated nearer-to-native preservation of AZ ultrastructure, e.g., by facilitating single filamentous structures. Here, we present a protocol combining the advantages of HPF/FS and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) to quantify nanotopology of the AZ scaffold protein Bruchpilot (Brp) at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of Drosophila melanogaster. Using this standardized model, we tested for preservation of Brp clusters in different FS protocols compared to classical aldehyde fixation. In HPF/FS samples, presynaptic boutons were structurally well preserved with ~22% smaller Brp clusters that allowed quantification of subcluster topology. In summary, we established a standardized near-to-native preparation and immunohistochemistry protocol for SMLM analyses of AZ protein clusters in a defined model synapse. Our protocol could be adapted to study protein arrangements at single-molecule resolution in other intact tissue preparations.
KW  - active zone
KW  - nanotopology
KW  - neuromuscular junction
KW  - high-pressure freezing/freeze substitution
KW  - PFA in ethanol
KW  - dSTORM
KW  - Drosophila melanogaster
Y1  - 2023
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-304904
SN  - 1422-0067
VL  - 24
IS  - 3
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  -