Solution single-vesicle assay reveals PIP2-mediated sequential actions of synaptotagmin-1 on SNAREs
EMBO JOURNAL
Authors: Kim, Jae-Yeol; Choi, Bong-Kyu; Choi, Mal-Gi; Kim, Sun-Ae; Lai, Ying; Shin, Yeon-Kyun; Lee, Nam Ki
Abstract
Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) is a major Ca2+ sensor for synchronous neurotransmitter release, which requires vesicle fusion mediated by SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors). Syt1 utilizes its diverse interactions with target membrane (t-) SNARE, SNAREpin, and phospholipids, to regulate vesicle fusion. To dissect the functions of Syt1, we apply a single-molecule technique, alternating-laser excitation (ALEX), which is capable of sorting out subpopulations of fusion intermediates and measuring their kinetics in solution. The results show that Syt1 undergoes at least three distinct steps prior to lipid mixing. First, without Ca2+, Syt1 mediates vesicle docking by directly binding to t-SNARE/phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) complex and increases the docking rate by 10(3) times. Second, synaptobrevin-2 binding to t-SNARE displaces Syt1 from SNAREpin. Third, with Ca2+, Syt1 rebinds to SNAREpin, which again requires PIP2. Thus without Ca2+, Syt1 may bring vesicles to the plasma membrane in proximity via binding to t-SNARE/PIP2 to help SNAREpin formation and then, upon Ca2+ influx, it may rebind to SNAREpin, which may trigger synchronous fusion. The results show that ALEX is a powerful method to dissect multiple kinetic steps in the vesicle fusion pathway. The EMBO Journal (2012) 31, 2144-2155. doi:10.1038/emboj.2012.57; Published online 9 March 2012
Genome-Wide Association Scan of the Time to Onset of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART B-NEUROPSYCHIATRIC GENETICS
Authors: Lasky-Su, Jessica; Anney, Richard J. L.; Neale, Benjamin M.; Franke, Barbara; Zhou, Kaixin; Maller, Julian B.; Arias Vasquez, Alejandro; Chen, Wai; Asherson, Philip; Buitelaar, Jan; Banaschewski, Tobias; Ebstein, Richard; Gill, Michael; Miranda, Ana; Mulas, Fernando; Oades, Robert D.; Roeyers, Herbert; Rothenberger, Aribert; Sergeant, Joseph; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J. S.; Steinhausen, Hans Christoph; Taylor, Eric; Daly, Mark; Laird, Nan; Lange, Christoph; Faraone, Stephen V.
Abstract
A time-to-onset analysis for family-based samples was performed on the genomewide association (GWAS) data for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to determine if associations exist with the age at onset of ADHD. The initial dataset consisted of 958 parent-offspring trios that were genotyped on the Perlegen 600,000 SNP array. After data cleaning procedures, 429,981 autosomal SNPs and 930 parent-offspring trios were used found suitable for use and a family-based logrank analysis was performed using that age at first ADHD symptoms as the quantitative trait of interest. No SNP achieved genome-wide significance, and the lowest P-values had a magnitude of 10(-7). Several SNPs among a pre-specified list of candidate genes had nominal associations including SLC9A9, DRD1, ADRB2, SLC6A3, NFIL3, ADRB1, SYT1, HTR2A, ARRB2, and CHRNA4. Of these findings SLC9A9 stood out as a promising candidate, with nominally significant SNPs in six distinct regions of the gene. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.