The Unc13A isoform is important for phasic release and olfactory memory formation at mushroom body synapses

2020 | journal article; research paper

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​The Unc13A isoform is important for phasic release and olfactory memory formation at mushroom body synapses​
Woitkuhn, J.; Ender, A.; Beuschel, C. B.; Maglione, M.; Matkovic-Rachid, T.; Huang, S. & Lehmann, M. et al.​ (2020) 
Journal of Neurogenetics34(1) pp. 106​-114​.​ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01677063.2019.1710146 

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Authors
Woitkuhn, Jennifer; Ender, Anatoli; Beuschel, Christine B.; Maglione, Marta; Matkovic-Rachid, Tanja; Huang, Sheng; Lehmann, Martin; Geiger, Joerg R. P.; Sigrist, Stephan J. 
Abstract
The cellular analysis of mushroom body (MB)-dependent memory forming processes is far advanced, whereas, the molecular and physiological understanding of their synaptic basis lags behind. Recent analysis of the Drosophila olfactory system showed that Unc13A, a member of the M(Unc13) release factor family, promotes a phasic, high release probability component, while Unc13B supports a slower tonic release component, reflecting their different nanoscopic positioning within individual active zones. We here use STED super-resolution microscopy of MB lobe synapses to show that Unc13A clusters closer to the active zone centre than Unc13B. Unc13A specifically supported phasic transmission and short-term plasticity of Kenyon cell:output neuron synapses, measured by combining electrophysiological recordings of output neurons with optogenetic stimulation. Knockdown of unc13A within Kenyon cells provoked drastic deficits of olfactory aversive short-term and anaesthesia-sensitive middle-term memory. Knockdown of unc13B provoked milder memory deficits. Thus, a low frequency domain transmission component is probably crucial for the proper representation of memory-associated activity patterns, consistent with sparse Kenyon cell activation during memory acquisition and retrieval. Notably, Unc13A/B ratios appeared highly diversified across MB lobes, leaving room for an interplay of activity components in memory encoding and retrieval.
Issue Date
2020
Journal
Journal of Neurogenetics 
Project
FOR 2705: Dissection of a Brain Circuit: Structure, Plasticity and Behavioral Function of the Drosophila Mushroom Body 
FOR 2705 | TP 5: Postsynaptic receptor plasticity and transsynaptic communication in storage of memory components in the mushroom bodies 
Working Group
RG Sigrist (Genetics) 
ISSN
0167-7063
eISSN
1563-5260
Language
English

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