Paralytic zebrafish lacking acetylcholine receptors fail to localize rapsyn clusters to the synapse

Fumihito Ono, Shin Ichi Higashijima, Anatoly Shcherbatko, Joseph R. Fetcho, Paul Brehm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

103 Scopus citations

Abstract

Physiological analysis of two lines of paralytic mutant zebrafish, relaxed and sofa potato, reveals defects in distinct types of receptors in skeletal muscle. In sofa potato the paralysis results from failed synaptic transmission because of the absence of acetylcholine receptors, whereas relaxed mutants lack dihydropyridine receptor-mediated release of internal calcium in response to the muscle action potential. Synaptic structure and function appear normal in relaxed, showing that muscle paralysis per se does not impede proper synapse development. However, sofa potato mutants show incomplete development of the postsynaptic complex. Specifically, in the absence of ACh receptors, clusters of the receptor-aggregating protein rapsyn form in the extrasynaptic membrane but generally fail to localize to the subsynaptic region. Our results indicate that, although rapsyn molecules are capable of self-aggregation, interaction with ACh receptors is required for proper subsynaptic localization.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5439-5448
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Neuroscience
Volume21
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2001
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Acetylcholine receptor
  • Clustering
  • Dihydropyridine receptor
  • Mutant
  • Neuromuscular junction
  • Rapsyn
  • Zebrafish

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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