Physical parameters describing neuronal cargo transport by kinesin UNC-104

UNC-10/SYD-2 links kinesin-3 to RAB-3-containing vesicles in the absence of the motor's PH domain

Kinesin-3 KIF1A (UNC-104 in C. elegans) is the major axonal transporter of synaptic vesicles and mutations in this molecular motor are linked to KIF1A-associated neurological disorders (KAND), encompassing Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and hereditary spastic paraplegia. UNC-104 binds to lipid bilayers of synaptic vesicles via its C-terminal PH (pleckstrin homology) domain. Since this interaction is relatively weak and non-specific, we hypothesize that other, more specific, interaction schemes exist. From the literature, it is evident that UNC-104 regulator SYD-2 interacts with UNC-10 and that UNC-10 itself interacts with RAB-3 bound to synaptic vesicles. RT-PCR and Western blot experiments expose genetic relationships between unc-10 and syd-2, but not between unc-10 and rab-3. Also, neither unc-10 nor rab-3 affects UNC-104 expression. However, co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays reveal functional interactions between UNC-104, SYD-2, UNC-10 and RAB-3. Though both SNB-1 and RAB-3 are actively transported by UNC-104, motility of RAB-3 is facilitated in the presence of SYD-2 and UNC-10. Deletion of UNC-104's PH domain did not affect UNC-104/RAB-3 colocalization, but significantly affected UNC-104/SNB-1 colocalization. Similarly, motility of RAB-3-labeled vesicles is only slightly altered in nematodes carrying a point mutation in the PH domain, whereas movement of SNB-1 is significantly reduced in this mutant. Western blots from purified fractions of synaptic vesicles reveal strong reduction of UNC-104 in rab-3/unc-10 double mutants. Our findings suggest that the UNC-10/SYD-2 complex acts as a functional linker to connect UNC-104 to RAB-3-containing vesicles. Thus, this linker complex contributes to the specificity of motor/cargo interactions.

F-box protein FBXB-65 regulates anterograde transport of the kinesin-3 motor UNC-104 through a PTM near its cargo-binding PH domain

Axonal transport in neurons is essential for cargo movement between the cell body and synapses. Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-104 and its homolog KIF1A are kinesin-3 motors that anterogradely transport precursors of synaptic vesicles (pre-SVs) and are degraded at synapses. However, in C. elegans, touch neuron-specific knockdown of the E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme, uba-1, leads to UNC-104 accumulation at neuronal ends and synapses. Here, we performed an RNAi screen and identified that depletion of fbxb-65, which encodes an F-box protein, leads to UNC-104 accumulation at neuronal distal ends, and alters UNC-104 net anterograde movement and levels of UNC-104 on cargo without changing synaptic UNC-104 levels. Split fluorescence reconstitution showed that UNC-104 and FBXB-65 interact throughout the neuron. Our theoretical model suggests that UNC-104 might exhibit cooperative cargo binding that is regulated by FBXB-65. FBXB-65 regulates an unidentified post-translational modification (PTM) of UNC-104 in a region beside the cargo-binding PH domain. Both fbxb-65 and UNC-104, independently of FBXB-65, regulate axonal pre-SV distribution, transport of pre-SVs at branch points and organismal lifespan. FBXB-65 regulates a PTM of UNC-104 and the number of motors on the cargo surface, which can fine-tune cargo transport to the synapse.

Conditional immobilization for live imaging Caenorhabditis elegans using auxin-dependent protein depletion

The visualization of biological processes using fluorescent proteins and dyes in living organisms has enabled numerous scientific discoveries. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a widely used model organism for live imaging studies since the transparent nature of the worm enables imaging of nearly all tissues within a whole, intact animal. While current techniques are optimized to enable the immobilization of hermaphrodite worms for live imaging, many of these approaches fail to successfully restrain the smaller male worms. To enable live imaging of worms of both sexes, we developed a new genetic, conditional immobilization tool that uses the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system to immobilize both adult and larval hermaphrodite and male worms for live imaging. Based on chromosome location, mutant phenotype, and predicted germline consequence, we identified and AID-tagged three candidate genes (unc-18, unc-104, and unc-52). Strains with these AID-tagged genes were placed on auxin and tested for mobility and germline defects. Among the candidate genes, auxin-mediated depletion of UNC-18 caused significant immobilization of both hermaphrodite and male worms that was also partially reversible upon removal from auxin. Notably, we found that male worms require a higher concentration of auxin for a similar amount of immobilization as hermaphrodites, thereby suggesting a potential sex-specific difference in auxin absorption and/or processing. In both males and hermaphrodites, depletion of UNC-18 did not largely alter fertility, germline progression, nor meiotic recombination. Finally, we demonstrate that this new genetic tool can successfully immobilize both sexes enabling live imaging studies of sexually dimorphic features in C. elegans.

Effects of dynein inhibitor on the number of motor proteins transporting synaptic cargos

Synaptic cargo transport by kinesin and dynein in hippocampal neurons was investigated by noninvasively measuring the transport force based on nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. Although direct physical measurements such as force measurement using optical tweezers are difficult in an intracellular environment, the noninvasive estimations enabled enumerating force-producing units (FPUs) carrying a cargo comprising the motor proteins generating force. The number of FPUs served as a barometer for stable and long-distance transport by multiple motors, which was then used to quantify the extent of damage to axonal transport by dynarrestin, a dynein inhibitor. We found that dynarrestin decreased the FPU for retrograde transport more than for anterograde transport. This result indicates the applicability of the noninvasive force measurements. In the future, these measurements may be used to quantify damage to axonal transport resulting from neuronal diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases.

Distinguishing synaptic vesicle precursor navigation of microtubule ends with a single rate constant model

Axonal motor driven cargo utilizes the microtubule cytoskeleton in order to direct cargo, such as synaptic vesicle precursors (SVP), to where they are needed. This transport requires vesicles to travel up to microns in distance. It has recently been observed that finite microtubule lengths can act as roadblocks inhibiting SVP and increasing the time required for transport. SVPs reach the end of a microtubule and pause until they can navigate to a neighboring microtubule in order to continue transport. The mechanism(s) by which axonal SVPs navigate the end of a microtubule in order to continue mobility is unknown. In this manuscript we model experimentally observed vesicle pausing at microtubule ends in C. elegans. We show that a single rate-constant model reproduces the time SVPs pause at MT-ends. This model is based on the time an SVP must detach from its current microtubule and re-attach to a neighboring microtubule. We show that vesicle pause times are different for anterograde and retrograde motion, suggesting that vesicles utilize different proteins at plus and minus end sites. Last, we show that vesicles do not likely utilize a tug-of-war like mechanism and reverse direction in order to navigate microtubule ends.