Redundant Localization Mechanisms of RIM and ELKS inCaenorhabditis elegans

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0804-05.2005
• Publication Date: 2005-06-23T17:03:05Z
• Authors: Scott L. Deken; Rose Vincent; Gayla Hadwiger; Qiang Liu; Zhao-Wen Wang; Michael L. Nonet
• Keywords: PDZ domain; Active zone

Active zone proteins play a fundamental role in regulating neurotransmitter release and defining sites. The functional roles of active components are beginning to be elucidated; however, the mechanisms protein localization unknown. Studies have shown that glutamine, leucine, lysine, serine-rich (ELKS), recently defined member complex, acts localize Rab3a-interacting molecule (RIM) regulates synaptic transmission cultured neurons. Here, we test function ELKS vivo . Like mammalian ELKS, Caenorhabditis elegans is an directly interacts with postsynaptic density-25/Discs large/zona occludens (PDZ) domain RIM. However, RIM localizes absence vice versa In addition, elks mutants exhibit neither behavioral nor physiological defects associated unc-10 mutants, indicating not critical component C. machinery. Interestingly, expression soluble PDZ disrupts targeting, suggesting tight association between two truncations containing only C2A domains target sites ELKS-dependent manner. Together, these data identify as new define transmission, characterize relationship Furthermore, they demonstrate multiple different protein-protein interactions redundantly anchor both zones implicate novel formation zone.