Drosophila dscam proteins regulate postsynaptic specificity at multiple-contact synapses

Drosophila larval motor patterning relies on regulated alternative splicing of Dscam2

Recent studies capitalizing on the newly complete nanometer-resolution Drosophila larval connectome have made significant advances in identifying the structural basis of motor patterning. However, the molecular mechanisms utilized by neurons to wire these circuits remain poorly understood. In this study we explore how cell-specific expression of two Dscam2 isoforms, which mediate isoform-specific homophilic binding, contributes to motor patterning and output of Drosophila larvae. Ablating Dscam2 isoform diversity resulted in impaired locomotion. Electrophysiological assessment at the neuromuscular junction during fictive locomotion indicated that this behavioral defect was largely caused by weaker bouts of motor neuron activity. Morphological analyses of single motor neurons using MultiColour FlpOut revealed severe errors in dendrite arborization and assessment of cholinergic and GABAergic projections to the motor domain revealed altered morphology of interneuron processes. Loss of Dscam2 did not affect locomotor output, motor neuron activation or dendrite targeting. Our findings thus suggest that locomotor circuit phenotypes arise specifically from inappropriate Dscam2 interactions between premotor interneurons and motor neurons when they express the same isoform. Indeed, we report here that first-order premotor interneurons express Dscam2A. Since motor neurons express Dscam2B, our results provide evidence that Dscam2 isoform expression alternates between synaptic partners in the nerve cord. Our study demonstrates the importance of cell-specific alternative splicing in establishing the circuitry that underlies neuromotor patterning without inducing unwanted intercellular interactions.

A comparative overview of DSCAM and its multifunctional roles in Drosophila and vertebrates

DSCAM (Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule) is a unique neuronal adhesion protein with extensively documented multifaceted functionalities. DSCAM also has interesting properties in vertebrates and invertebrates, respectively. In Drosophila species, particularly, Dscam exhibits remarkable genetic diversity, with tens of thousands of splicing isoforms that modulate the specificity of neuronal wiring. Interestingly, this splice variant diversity of Dscam is absent in vertebrates. DSCAM plays a pivotal role in mitigating excessive adhesion between identical cell types, thereby maintaining the structural and functional coherence of neural networks. DSCAM contributes to the oversight of selective intercellular interactions such as synaptogenesis; however, the precise regulatory mechanisms underlying the promotion and inhibition of cell adhesion involved remain unclear. In this review, we aim to delineate the distinct molecules that interact with DSCAM and their specific roles within the biological landscapes of Drosophila and vertebrates. By integrating these comparative insights, we aim to elucidate the multifunctional nature of DSCAM, particularly its capacity to facilitate or deter intercellular adhesion.

Astrocyte morphogenesis requires self-recognition

Self-recognition is a fundamental cellular process across evolution and forms the basis of neuronal self-avoidance1-4. Clustered protocadherins (Pcdh), comprising a large family of isoform-specific homophilic recognition molecules, play a pivotal role in neuronal self-avoidance required for mammalian brain development5-7. The probabilistic expression of different Pcdh isoforms confers unique identities upon neurons and forms the basis for neuronal processes to discriminate between self and non-self5,6,8. Whether this self-recognition mechanism exists in astrocytes, the other predominant cell type of the brain, remains unknown. Here, we report that a specific isoform in the Pcdhγ cluster, γC3, is highly enriched in human and murine astrocytes. Through genetic manipulation, we demonstrate that γC3 acts autonomously to regulate astrocyte morphogenesis in the mouse visual cortex. To determine if γC3 proteins act by promoting recognition between processes of the same astrocyte, we generated pairs of γC3 chimeric proteins capable of heterophilic binding to each other, but incapable of homophilic binding. Co-expressing complementary heterophilic binding isoform pairs in the same γC3 null astrocyte restored normal morphology. By contrast, chimeric γC3 proteins individually expressed in single γC3 null mutant astrocytes did not. These data establish that self-recognition is essential for astrocyte development in the mammalian brain and that, by contrast to neuronal self-recognition, a single Pcdh isoform is both necessary and sufficient for this process.

The role of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule in Down syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is caused by the presence of an extra copy of the entire or a portion of human chromosome 21 (HSA21). This genomic alteration leads to elevated expression of numerous HSA21 genes, resulting in a variety of health issues in individuals with DS. Among the genes located in the DS "critical region" of HSA21, Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) plays an important role in neuronal development. There is a growing body of evidence underscoring DSCAM's involvement in various DS-related disorders. This review aims to provide a concise overview of the established functions of DSCAM, with a particular focus on its implications in DS. We delve into the roles that DSCAM plays in DS-associated diseases. In the concluding section of this review, we explore prospective avenues for future research to further unravel DSCAM's role in DS and opportunities for therapeutic treatments.

Identifying new players in structural synaptic plasticity through dArc1 interrogation

The formation, expansion, and pruning of synapses, known as structural synaptic plasticity, is needed for learning and memory, and perturbation of plasticity is associated with many neurological disorders and diseases. Previously, we observed that the Drosophila homolog of Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (dArc1), forms a capsid-like structure, associates with its own mRNA, and is transported across synapses. We demonstrated that this transfer is needed for structural synaptic plasticity. To identify mRNAs that are modified by dArc1 in presynaptic neuron and postsynaptic muscle, we disrupted the expression of dArc1 and performed genomic analysis with deep sequencing. We found that dArc1 affects the expression of genes involved in metabolism, phagocytosis, and RNA-splicing. Through immunoprecipitation we also identified potential mRNA cargos of dArc1 capsids. This study suggests that dArc1 acts as a master regulator of plasticity by affecting several distinct and highly conserved cellular processes.

Brain wiring determinants uncovered by integrating connectomes and transcriptomes

Advances in brain connectomics have demonstrated the extraordinary complexity of neural circuits.1,2,3,4,5 Developing neurons encounter the axons and dendrites of many different neuron types and form synapses with only a subset of them. During circuit assembly, neurons express cell-type-specific repertoires comprising many cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that can mediate interactions between developing neurites.6,7,8 Many CAM families have been shown to contribute to brain wiring in different ways.9,10 It has been challenging, however, to identify receptor-ligand pairs directly matching neurons with their synaptic targets. Here, we integrated the synapse-level connectome of the neural circuit11,12 with the developmental expression patterns7 and binding specificities of CAMs6,13 on pre- and postsynaptic neurons in the Drosophila visual system. To overcome the complexity of neural circuits, we focus on pairs of genetically related neurons that make differential wiring choices. In the motion detection circuit,14 closely related subtypes of T4/T5 neurons choose between alternative synaptic targets in adjacent layers of neuropil.12 This choice correlates with the matching expression in synaptic partners of different receptor-ligand pairs of the Beat and Side families of CAMs. Genetic analysis demonstrated that presynaptic Side-II and postsynaptic Beat-VI restrict synaptic partners to the same layer. Removal of this receptor-ligand pair disrupts layers and leads to inappropriate targeting of presynaptic sites and postsynaptic dendrites. We propose that different Side/Beat receptor-ligand pairs collaborate with other recognition molecules to determine wiring specificities in the fly brain. Combining transcriptomes, connectomes, and protein interactome maps allow unbiased identification of determinants of brain wiring.

Regulated alternative splicing of Dscam2 is required for somatosensory circuit wiring

Axon and dendrite placement and connectivity is guided by a wide range of secreted and surface molecules in the developing nervous system. Nevertheless, the extraordinary complexity of connections in the brain requires that this repertoire be further diversified to precisely and uniquely regulate cell-cell interactions. One important mechanism for molecular diversification is alternative splicing. Drosophila Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam2) undergoes cell type-specific alternative splicing to produce two isoform-specific homophilic binding proteins. Regulated alternative splicing of Dscam2 is important for dendrite and axon patterning, but how this translates to circuit wiring and animal behavior is not well understood. Here, we examined the role of cell-type specific expression of Dscam2 isoforms in regulating synaptic partner selection in the larval somatosensory system. We found that synaptic partners in the nociceptive circuit express different Dscam2 isoforms. Forcing synaptic partners to express a common isoform resulted in nociceptive axon patterning defects and attenuated nocifensive behaviors, indicating that a role for Dscam2 alternative splicing is to ensure that synaptic partners do not express matching isoforms. These results point to a model in which regulated alternative splicing of Dscam2 across populations of neurons restricts connectivity to specific partners and prevents inappropriate synaptic connections.

Alterations of presynaptic proteins in autism spectrum disorder

The expanded use of hypothesis-free gene analysis methods in autism research has significantly increased the number of genetic risk factors associated with the pathogenesis of autism. A further examination of the implicated genes directly revealed the involvement in processes pertinent to neuronal differentiation, development, and function, with a predominant contribution from the regulators of synaptic function. Despite the importance of presynaptic function in synaptic transmission, the regulation of neuronal network activity, and the final behavioral output, there is a relative lack of understanding of the presynaptic contribution to the pathology of autism. Here, we will review the close association among autism-related mutations, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) phenotypes, and the altered presynaptic protein functions through a systematic examination of the presynaptic risk genes relating to the critical stages of synaptogenesis and neurotransmission.

Self-avoidance alone does not explain the function of Dscam1 in mushroom body axonal wiring

Alternative splicing of Drosophila Dscam1 into 38,016 isoforms provides neurons with a unique molecular code for self-recognition and self-avoidance. A canonical model suggests that the homophilic binding of identical Dscam1 isoforms on the sister branches of mushroom body (MB) axons supports segregation with high fidelity, even when only a single isoform is expressed. Here, we generated a series of mutant flies with a single exon 4, 6, or 9 variant, encoding 1,584, 396, or 576 potential isoforms, respectively. Surprisingly, most of the mutants in the latter two groups exhibited obvious defects in the growth, branching, and segregation of MB axonal sister branches. This demonstrates that the repertoires of 396 and 576 Dscam1 isoforms were not sufficient for the normal patterning of axonal branches. Moreover, reducing Dscam1 levels largely reversed the defects caused by reduced isoform diversity, suggesting a functional link between Dscam1 expression levels and isoform diversity. Taken together, these results indicate that canonical self-avoidance alone does not explain the function of Dscam1 in MB axonal wiring.

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor: Non-deterministic Mechanisms Diversifying Cell Surface Molecule Expression

How does the information in the genome program the functions of the wide variety of cells in the body? While the development of biological organisms appears to follow an explicit set of genomic instructions to generate the same outcome each time, many biological mechanisms harness molecular noise to produce variable outcomes. Non-deterministic variation is frequently observed in the diversification of cell surface molecules that give cells their functional properties, and is observed across eukaryotic clades, from single-celled protozoans to mammals. This is particularly evident in immune systems, where random recombination produces millions of antibodies from only a few genes; in nervous systems, where stochastic mechanisms vary the sensory receptors and synaptic matching molecules produced by different neurons; and in microbial antigenic variation. These systems employ overlapping molecular strategies including allelic exclusion, gene silencing by constitutive heterochromatin, targeted double-strand breaks, and competition for limiting enhancers. Here, we describe and compare five stochastic molecular mechanisms that produce variety in pathogen coat proteins and in the cell surface receptors of animal immune and neuronal cells, with an emphasis on the utility of non-deterministic variation.

Structure of cell-cell adhesion mediated by the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule

The Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) and plays important roles in neural development. It has a large ectodomain, including 10 Ig-like domains and 6 fibronectin III (FnIII) domains. Previous data have shown that DSCAM can mediate cell adhesion by forming homophilic dimers between cells and contributes to self-avoidance of neurites or neuronal tiling, which is important for neural network formation. However, the organization and assembly of DSCAM at cell adhesion interfaces has not been fully understood. Here we combine electron microscopy and other biophysical methods to characterize the structure of the DSCAM-mediated cell adhesion and generate three-dimensional views of the adhesion interfaces of DSCAM by electron tomography. The results show that mouse DSCAM forms a regular pattern at the adhesion interfaces. The Ig-like domains contribute to both trans homophilic interactions and cis assembly of the pattern, and the FnIII domains are crucial for the cis pattern formation as well as the interaction with the cell membrane. By contrast, no obvious assembly pattern is observed at the adhesion interfaces mediated by mouse DSCAML1 or Drosophila DSCAMs, suggesting the different structural roles and mechanisms of DSCAMs in mediating cell adhesion and neural network formation.

The RNA-binding protein Musashi controls axon compartment-specific synaptic connectivity through ptp69D mRNA poly(A)-tailing

Synaptic targeting with subcellular specificity is essential for neural circuit assembly. Developing neurons use mechanisms to curb promiscuous synaptic connections and to direct synapse formation to defined subcellular compartments. How this selectivity is achieved molecularly remains enigmatic. Here, we discover a link between mRNA poly(A)-tailing and axon collateral branch-specific synaptic connectivity within the CNS. We reveal that the RNA-binding protein Musashi binds to the mRNA encoding the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase Ptp69D, thereby increasing poly(A) tail length and Ptp69D protein levels. This regulation specifically promotes synaptic connectivity in one axon collateral characterized by a high degree of arborization and strong synaptogenic potential. In a different compartment of the same axon, Musashi prevents ectopic synaptogenesis, revealing antagonistic, compartment-specific functions. Moreover, Musashi-dependent Ptp69D regulation controls synaptic connectivity in the olfactory circuit. Thus, Musashi differentially shapes synaptic connectivity at the level of individual subcellular compartments and within different developmental and neuron type-specific contexts.

Extrinsic Factors Regulating Dendritic Patterning

Stereotypic dendrite arborizations are key morphological features of neuronal identity, as the size, shape and location of dendritic trees determine the synaptic input fields and how information is integrated within developed neural circuits. In this review, we focus on the actions of extrinsic intercellular communication factors and their effects on intrinsic developmental processes that lead to dendrite patterning. Surrounding neurons or supporting cells express adhesion receptors and secreted proteins that respectively, act via direct contact or over short distances to shape, size, and localize dendrites during specific developmental stages. The different ligand-receptor interactions and downstream signaling events appear to direct dendrite morphogenesis by converging on two categorical mechanisms: local cytoskeletal and adhesion modulation and global transcriptional regulation of key dendritic growth components, such as lipid synthesis enzymes. Recent work has begun to uncover how the coordinated signaling of multiple extrinsic factors promotes complexity in dendritic trees and ensures robust dendritic patterning.

Dscam2 suppresses synaptic strength through a PI3K-dependent endosomal pathway

Dscam2 is a cell surface protein required for neuronal development in Drosophila; it can promote neural wiring through homophilic recognition that leads to either adhesion or repulsion between neurites. Here, we report that Dscam2 also plays a post-developmental role in suppressing synaptic strength. This function is dependent on one of two distinct extracellular isoforms of the protein and is autonomous to motor neurons. We link the PI3K enhancer, Centaurin gamma 1A, to the Dscam2-dependent regulation of synaptic strength and show that changes in phosphoinositide levels correlate with changes in endosomal compartments that have previously been associated with synaptic strength. Using transmission electron microscopy, we find an increase in synaptic vesicles at Dscam2 mutant active zones, providing a rationale for the increase in synaptic strength. Our study provides the first evidence that Dscam2 can regulate synaptic physiology and highlights how diverse roles of alternative protein isoforms can contribute to unique aspects of brain development and function.

Nuclear import of the DSCAM-cytoplasmic domain drives signaling capable of inhibiting synapse formation

DSCAM and DSCAML1 are immunoglobulin and cell adhesion-type receptors serving important neurodevelopmental functions including control of axon growth, branching, neurite self-avoidance, and neuronal cell death. The signal transduction mechanisms or effectors of DSCAM receptors, however, remain poorly characterized. We used a human ORFeome library to perform a high-throughput screen in mammalian cells and identified novel cytoplasmic signaling effector candidates including the Down syndrome kinase Dyrk1a, STAT3, USP21, and SH2D2A. Unexpectedly, we also found that the intracellular domains (ICDs) of DSCAM and DSCAML1 specifically and directly interact with IPO5, a nuclear import protein of the importin beta family, via a conserved nuclear localization signal. The DSCAM ICD is released by γ-secretase-dependent cleavage, and both the DSCAM and DSCAML1 ICDs efficiently translocate to the nucleus. Furthermore, RNA sequencing confirms that expression of the DSCAM as well as the DSCAML1 ICDs alone can profoundly alter the expression of genes associated with neuronal differentiation and apoptosis, as well as synapse formation and function. Gain-of-function experiments using primary cortical neurons show that increasing the levels of either the DSCAM or the DSCAML1 ICD leads to an impairment of neurite growth. Strikingly, increased expression of either full-length DSCAM or the DSCAM ICD, but not the DSCAML1 ICD, significantly decreases synapse numbers in primary hippocampal neurons. Taken together, we identified a novel membrane-to-nucleus signaling mechanism by which DSCAM receptors can alter the expression of regulators of neuronal differentiation and synapse formation and function. Considering that chromosomal duplications lead to increased DSCAM expression in trisomy 21, our findings may help uncover novel mechanisms contributing to intellectual disability in Down syndrome.

Deterministic splicing of Dscam2 is regulated by Muscleblind

Alternative splicing increases the proteome diversity crucial for establishing the complex circuitry between trillions of neurons. To provide individual cells with different repertoires of protein isoforms, however, this process must be regulated. Previously, we found that the mutually exclusive alternative splicing of Drosophila Dscam2 produces two isoforms (A and B) with unique binding properties. This splicing event is cell type specific, and the transmembrane proteins that it generates are crucial for the development of axons, dendrites, and synapses. Here, we show that Muscleblind (Mbl) controls Dscam2 alternative splicing. Mbl represses isoform A and promotes the selection of isoform B. Mbl mutants exhibit phenotypes also observed in flies engineered to express a single Dscam2 isoform. Consistent with this, mbl expression is cell type specific and correlates with the splicing of isoform B. Our study demonstrates how the regulated expression of a splicing factor is sufficient to provide neurons with unique protein isoforms crucial for development.

Strategies for assembling columns and layers in the Drosophila visual system

A striking feature of neural circuit structure is the arrangement of neurons into regularly spaced ensembles (i.e. columns) and neural connections into parallel layers. These patterns of organization are thought to underlie precise synaptic connectivity and provide a basis for the parallel processing of information. In this article we discuss in detail specific findings that contribute to a framework for understanding how columns and layers are assembled in the Drosophila visual system, and discuss their broader implications.

Drosophila Sidekick is required in developing photoreceptors to enable visual motion detection

The assembly of functional neuronal circuits requires growth cones to extend in defined directions and recognize the correct synaptic partners. Homophilic adhesion between vertebrate Sidekick proteins promotes synapse formation between retinal neurons involved in visual motion detection. We show here that Drosophila Sidekick accumulates in specific synaptic layers of the developing motion detection circuit and is necessary for normal optomotor behavior. Sidekick is required in photoreceptors, but not in their target lamina neurons, to promote the alignment of lamina neurons into columns and subsequent sorting of photoreceptor axons into synaptic modules based on their precise spatial orientation. Sidekick is also localized to the dendrites of the direction-selective T4 and T5 cells, and is expressed in some of their presynaptic partners. In contrast to its vertebrate homologs, Sidekick is not essential for T4 and T5 to direct their dendrites to the appropriate layers or to receive synaptic contacts. These results illustrate a conserved requirement for Sidekick proteins in establishing visual motion detection circuits that is achieved through distinct cellular mechanisms in Drosophila and vertebrates.

Regulated Alternative Splicing of Drosophila Dscam2 Is Necessary for Attaining the Appropriate Number of Photoreceptor Synapses

How the brain makes trillions of synaptic connections using a genome of only 20,000 genes is a major question in modern neuroscience. Alternative splicing is one mechanism that can increase the number of proteins produced by each gene, but its role in regulating synapse formation is poorly understood. In Drosophila, photoreceptors form a synapse with multiple postsynaptic elements including lamina neurons L1 and L2. L1 and L2 express distinct isoforms of the homophilic repulsive protein Dscam2, and since these isoforms cannot bind to each other, cell-specific expression has been proposed to be necessary for preventing repulsive interactions that could disrupt the synapse. Here, we show that the number of synapses are reduced in flies that express only one isoform, and L1 and L2 dendritic morphology is perturbed. We propose that these defects result from inappropriate interactions between L1 and L2 dendrites. We conclude that regulated Dscam2 alternative splicing is necessary for the proper assembly of photoreceptor synapses.

A third copy of the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) causes synaptic and locomotor dysfunction in Drosophila

Down syndrome (DS) is caused by triplication of chromosome 21 (HSA21). It is characterised by intellectual disability and impaired motor coordination that arise from changes in brain volume, structure and function. However, the contribution of each HSA21 gene to these various phenotypes and to the causal alterations in neuronal and synaptic structure and function are largely unknown. Here we have investigated the effect of overexpression of the HSA21 gene DSCAM (Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule), on glutamatergic synaptic transmission and motor coordination, using Drosophila expressing three copies of Dscam1. Electrophysiological recordings of miniature and evoked excitatory junction potentials at the glutamatergic neuromuscular junction of Drosophila larvae showed that the extra copy of Dscam1 changed the properties of spontaneous and electrically-evoked transmitter release and strengthened short-term synaptic depression during high-frequency firing of the motor nerve. Behavioural analyses uncovered impaired locomotor coordination despite preserved gross motor function. This work identifies DSCAM as a candidate causative gene in DS that is sufficient to modify synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity and cause a DS behavioural phenotype.

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Drosophila expressing a third copy of Dscam have altered neuromuscular transmission.

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Drosophila expressing a third copy of Dscam have deficits in locomotor coordination.

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Drosophila are a powerful system for studying single-gene effects in Down syndrome.

Developmental and genetic mechanisms of neural circuit evolution

Regardless of how a nervous system is genetically built, natural selection is acting on the functional outcome of its activity. To understand how nervous systems evolve, it is essential to analyze how their functional units - the neural circuits - change and adapt over time. A neural circuit can evolve in many different ways, and the underlying developmental and genetic mechanisms involve different sets of genes. Therefore, the comparison of gene expression can help reconstructing circuit evolution, as demonstrated by several examples in sensory systems. Functional constraints on neural circuit evolution suggest that in nervous systems developmental and genetic variants do not appear randomly, and that the evolution of neuroanatomy might be biased. Sensory systems, in particular, seem to evolve along trajectories that enhance their evolvability, ensuring adaptation to different environments.

Gap junction proteins and the wiring (Rewiring) of neuronal circuits

The unique morphology and pattern of synaptic connections made by a neuron during development arise in part by an extended period of growth in which cell-cell interactions help to sculpt the arbor into its final shape, size, and participation in different synaptic networks. Recent experiments highlight a guiding role played by gap junction proteins in controlling this process. Ectopic and overexpression studies in invertebrates have revealed that the selective expression of distinct gap junction genes in neurons and glial cells is sufficient to establish selective new connections in the central nervous systems of the leech (Firme et al. [2012]: J Neurosci 32:14265-14270), the nematode (Rabinowitch et al. [2014]: Nat Commun 5:4442), and the fruit fly (Pézier et al., 2016: PLoS One 11:e0152211). We present here an overview of this work and suggest that gap junction proteins, in addition to their synaptic/communicative functions, have an instructive role as recognition and adhesion factors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 575-586, 2017.

Fly Dscams Can Also Help You Find the Right Partners

The modular reiterative pattern of the fly visual system makes it an ideal model to study axon guidance and synaptogenesis. In this issue of Neuron, Tadros et al. (2016) show that Dscam2/4 promote the anchoring of dendrites to their targets.

Dscam Proteins Direct Dendritic Targeting through Adhesion

Cell recognition molecules are key regulators of neural circuit assembly. The Dscam family of recognition molecules in Drosophila has been shown to regulate interactions between neurons through homophilic repulsion. This is exemplified by Dscam1 and Dscam2, which together repel dendrites of lamina neurons, L1 and L2, in the visual system. By contrast, here we show that Dscam2 directs dendritic targeting of another lamina neuron, L4, through homophilic adhesion. Through live imaging and genetic mosaics to dissect interactions between specific cells, we show that Dscam2 is required in L4 and its target cells for correct dendritic targeting. In a genetic screen, we identified Dscam4 as another regulator of L4 targeting which acts with Dscam2 in the same pathway to regulate this process. This ensures tiling of the lamina neuropil through heterotypic interactions. Thus, different combinations of Dscam proteins act through distinct mechanisms in closely related neurons to pattern neural circuits.

Wiring dendrites in layers and columns

The most striking structure in the nervous system is the complex yet stereotyped morphology of the neuronal dendritic tree. Dendritic morphologies and the connections they make govern information flow and integration in the brain. The fundamental mechanisms that regulate dendritic outgrowth and branching are subjects of extensive study. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the molecular and cellular mechanisms for routing dendrites in layers and columns, prevalent organizational structures in the brain. We highlight how dendritic patterning influences the formation of synaptic circuits.

Rapid Changes in the Translatome during the Conversion of Growth Cones to Synaptic Terminals

A common step in the formation of neural circuits is the conversion of growth cones to presynaptic terminals. Characterizing patterns of global gene expression during this process is problematic due to the cellular diversity of the brain and the complex temporal dynamics of development. Here, we take advantage of the synchronous conversion of Drosophila photoreceptor growth cones into presynaptic terminals to explore global changes in gene expression during presynaptic differentiation. Using a tandemly tagged ribosome trap (T-TRAP) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) at multiple developmental times, we observed dramatic changes in coding and non-coding RNAs with presynaptic differentiation. Marked changes in the mRNA encoding transmembrane and secreted proteins occurred preferentially. The 3' UTRs of transcripts encoding synaptic proteins were preferentially lengthened, and these extended UTRs were preferentially enriched for sites recognized by RNA binding proteins. These data provide a rich resource for uncovering the regulatory logic underlying presynaptic differentiation.

A Two-Immunoglobulin-Domain Transmembrane Protein Mediates an Epidermal-Neuronal Interaction to Maintain Synapse Density

Synaptic maintenance is essential for neural circuit function. In the C. elegans locomotor circuit, motor neurons are in direct contact with the epidermis. Here, we reveal a novel epidermal-neuronal interaction mediated by a two-immunoglobulin domain transmembrane protein, ZIG-10, that is necessary for maintaining cholinergic synapse density. ZIG-10 is localized at the cell surface of epidermis and cholinergic motor neurons, with high levels at areas adjacent to synapses. Loss of zig-10 increases the number of cholinergic excitatory synapses and exacerbates convulsion behavior in a seizure model. Mis-expression of zig-10 in GABAergic inhibitory neurons reduces GABAergic synapse number, dependent on the presence of ZIG-10 in the epidermis. Furthermore, ZIG-10 interacts with the tyrosine kinase SRC-2 to regulate the phagocytic activity of the epidermis to restrict cholinergic synapse number. Our studies demonstrate the highly specific roles of non-neuronal cells in modulating neural circuit function, through neuron-type-specific maintenance of synapse density.

Role of DSCAM in the development of the spinal locomotor and sensorimotor circuits

Locomotion is controlled by spinal circuits that generate rhythm and coordinate left-right and flexor-extensor motoneuronal activities. The outputs of motoneurons and spinal interneuronal circuits are shaped by sensory feedback, relaying peripheral signals that are critical to the locomotor and postural control. Several studies in invertebrates and vertebrates have argued that the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) would play an important role in the normal development of neural circuits through cell spacing and targeting, axonal and dendritic branching, and synapse establishment and maintenance. Although there is evidence that DSCAM is important for the normal development of neural circuits, little is known about its functional contribution to spinal motor circuits. We show here that adult DSCAM(2J) mutant mice, lacking DSCAM, exhibit a higher variability in their locomotor pattern and rhythm during treadmill locomotion. Retrograde tracing studies in neonatal isolated spinal cords show an increased number of spinal commissural interneurons, which likely contributes to reducing the left-right alternation and to increasing the flexor/swing duration during neonatal and adult locomotion. Moreover, our results argue that, by reducing the peripheral excitatory drive onto spinal motoneurons, the DSCAM mutation reduces or abolishes spinal reflexes in both neonatal isolated spinal cords and adult mice, thus likely impairing sensorimotor control. Collectively, our functional, electrophysiological, and anatomical studies suggest that the mammalian DSCAM protein is involved in the normal development of spinal locomotor and sensorimotor circuits.

Synaptic circuits and their variations within different columns in the visual system of Drosophila

We reconstructed the synaptic circuits of seven columns in the second neuropil or medulla behind the fly's compound eye. These neurons embody some of the most stereotyped circuits in one of the most miniaturized of animal brains. The reconstructions allow us, for the first time to our knowledge, to study variations between circuits in the medulla's neighboring columns. This variation in the number of synapses and the types of their synaptic partners has previously been little addressed because methods that visualize multiple circuits have not resolved detailed connections, and existing connectomic studies, which can see such connections, have not so far examined multiple reconstructions of the same circuit. Here, we address the omission by comparing the circuits common to all seven columns to assess variation in their connection strengths and the resultant rates of several different and distinct types of connection error. Error rates reveal that, overall, <1% of contacts are not part of a consensus circuit, and we classify those contacts that supplement (E+) or are missing from it (E-). Autapses, in which the same cell is both presynaptic and postsynaptic at the same synapse, are occasionally seen; two cells in particular, Dm9 and Mi1, form ≥ 20-fold more autapses than do other neurons. These results delimit the accuracy of developmental events that establish and normally maintain synaptic circuits with such precision, and thereby address the operation of such circuits. They also establish a precedent for error rates that will be required in the new science of connectomics.

A common evolutionary origin for the ON- and OFF-edge motion detection pathways of the Drosophila visual system

Synaptic circuits for identified behaviors in the Drosophila brain have typically been considered from either a developmental or functional perspective without reference to how the circuits might have been inherited from ancestral forms. For example, two candidate pathways for ON- and OFF-edge motion detection in the visual system act via circuits that use respectively either T4 or T5, two cell types of the fourth neuropil, or lobula plate (LOP), that exhibit narrow-field direction-selective responses and provide input to wide-field tangential neurons. T4 or T5 both have four subtypes that terminate one each in the four strata of the LOP. Representatives are reported in a wide range of Diptera, and both cell types exhibit various similarities in: (1) the morphology of their dendritic arbors; (2) their four morphological and functional subtypes; (3) their cholinergic profile in Drosophila; (4) their input from the pathways of L3 cells in the first neuropil, or lamina (LA), and by one of a pair of LA cells, L1 (to the T4 pathway) and L2 (to the T5 pathway); and (5) their innervation by a single, wide-field contralateral tangential neuron from the central brain. Progenitors of both also express the gene atonal early in their proliferation from the inner anlage of the developing optic lobe, being alone among many other cell type progeny to do so. Yet T4 receives input in the second neuropil, or medulla (ME), and T5 in the third neuropil or lobula (LO). Here we suggest that these two cell types were originally one, that their ancestral cell population duplicated and split to innervate separate ME and LO neuropils, and that a fiber crossing—the internal chiasma—arose between the two neuropils. The split most plausibly occurred, we suggest, with the formation of the LO as a new neuropil that formed when it separated from its ancestral neuropil to leave the ME, suggesting additionally that ME input neurons to T4 and T5 may also have had a common origin.

DSCAM promotes refinement in the mouse retina through cell death and restriction of exploring dendrites

In this study we develop and use a gain-of-function mouse allele of the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) to complement loss-of-function models. We assay the role of Dscam in promoting cell death, spacing, and laminar targeting of neurons in the developing mouse retina. We find that ectopic or overexpression of Dscam is sufficient to drive cell death. Gain-of-function studies indicate that Dscam is not sufficient to increase spatial organization, prevent cell-to-cell pairing, or promote active avoidance in the mouse retina, despite the similarity of the Dscam loss-of-function phenotype in the mouse retina to phenotypes observed in Drosophila Dscam1 mutants. Both gain- and loss-of-function studies support a role for Dscam in targeting neurites; DSCAM is necessary for precise dendrite lamination, and is sufficient to retarget neurites of outer retinal cells after ectopic expression. We further demonstrate that DSCAM guides dendrite targeting in type 2 dopaminergic amacrine cells, by restricting the stratum in which exploring retinal dendrites stabilize, in a Dscam dosage-dependent manner. Based on these results we propose a single model to account for the numerous Dscam gain- and loss-of-function phenotypes reported in the mouse retina whereby DSCAM eliminates inappropriately placed cells and connections.

Dscam2 affects visual perception in Drosophila melanogaster

Dscam2, a cell surface protein that mediates cellular repulsion, plays a crucial role in the development of the Drosophila melanogaster visual system. Dscam2 generates boundaries between neighboring modules in the fly optic lobe; in Dscam2 mutants this visual system modularity is compromised. Although developmental wiring defects have been well described in the Dscam2 mutant, behavioral consequences have not been investigated. To address this, we examined the visual behavior of Dscam2 mutant flies. Using a phototaxis assay, we ascertained that these flies are not blind, but have a reduced phototaxic response. Through population-based and single fly optomotor assays, we found that Dscam2 mutant flies can track motion but that their response is opposite to control flies under defined experimental conditions. In a fixation paradigm, which allows tethered flies to control the angular position of a visual stimulus, mutant flies' responses were diametrically opposed to those seen in control flies. These data suggest that modest changes in the modularity of the fly visual system in the Dscam2 mutant can dramatically change the perception of specific visual cues and modify behavior.

DSCAM localization and function at the mouse cone synapse

The Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) is required for regulation of cell number, soma spacing, and cell type-specific dendrite avoidance in many types of retinal ganglion and amacrine cells. In this study we assay the organization of cells making up the outer plexiform layer of the retina in the absence of Dscam. Some types of OFF bipolar cells, type 3b and type 4 bipolar cells, had defects in dendrite arborization in the Dscam mutant retina, whereas other cell types appeared similar to wild type. The cone synapses that these cells project their dendrites to were intact, as visualized by electron microscopy, and had a distribution and density that was not significantly different from that of wild type. The spacing of type 3b bipolar cell dendrites was further analyzed by Voronoi domain analysis, density recovery profiling (DRP) analysis, and nearest neighbor analysis. Spacing was found to be significantly different when wild-type and mutant type 3b bipolar cell dendrites were compared. Defects in arborization of these bipolar cells could not be attributed to the disorganization of inner plexiform layer cells that occurs in the Dscam mutant retina or an increase in cell number, as they arborized when Dscam was targeted in retinal ganglion cells only or in the bax null retina. Localization of DSCAM was assayed and the protein was localized near to cone synapses in mouse, macaque, and ground squirrel retinas. DSCAM protein was detected in several types of bipolar cells, including type 3b and type 4 bipolar cells.

Neuronal cell-type-specific alternative splicing: A mechanism for specifying connections in the brain?

Alternative splicing (AS) allows a single gene to generate multiple protein isoforms. It has been hypothesized that AS plays a role in brain wiring by increasing the number of cell recognition molecules necessary for forming connections between neurons. Many studies have characterized isoform expression patterns of various genes in the brain, but very few have addressed whether specific isoforms play a functional role in neuronal wiring. In our recent work, we reported the cell-type-specific AS of the cell recognition molecule Dscam2. Exclusive expression of Dscam2 isoforms allows tightly associated neurons to signal repulsion selectively within the same cell-types, without interfering with one another. We show that preventing cell-specific isoform expression in 2 closely associated neurons disrupts their axon terminal morphology. We propose that the requirement for isoform specificity extends to synapses and discuss experiments that can test this directly. Factors that regulate Dscam2 cell-type-specific AS likely regulate the splicing of many genes involved in neurodevelopment. These regulators of alternative splicing may act broadly to control many genes involved in the development of specific neuron types. Identifying these factors is a key step in understanding how AS contributes to the brain connectome.

Transcriptome profiling of developing photoreceptor subtypes reveals candidate genes involved in avian photoreceptor diversification

Avian photoreceptors are a diverse class of neurons, comprised of four single cones, the two members of the double cone, and rods. The signaling events and transcriptional regulators driving the differentiation of these diverse photoreceptors are largely unknown. In addition, many distinctive features of photoreceptor subtypes, including spectral tuning, oil droplet size and pigmentation, synaptic targets, and spatial patterning, have been well characterized, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these attributes have not been explored. To identify genes specifically expressed in distinct chicken (Gallus gallus) photoreceptor subtypes, we developed fluorescent reporters that label photoreceptor subpopulations, isolated these subpopulations by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and subjected them to next-generation sequencing. By comparing the expression profiles of photoreceptors labeled with rhodopsin, red opsin, green opsin, and violet opsin reporters, we have identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes that may underlie the distinctive features of these photoreceptor subtypes. These genes are involved in a variety of processes, including phototransduction, transcriptional regulation, cell adhesion, maintenance of intra- and extracellular structure, and metabolism. Of particular note are a variety of differentially expressed transcription factors, which may drive and maintain photoreceptor diversity, and cell adhesion molecules, which may mediate spatial patterning of photoreceptors and act to establish retinal circuitry. These analyses provide a framework for future studies that will dissect the role of these various factors in the differentiation of avian photoreceptor subtypes.

DSCAM and DSCAML1 regulate the radial migration and callosal projection in developing cerebral cortex

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) is essential for self-avoidance and tiling of dendritic development in sensory neurons in Drosophila. Recent studies also show that DSCAM together with its closely related protein DSCAML1 functions in dendritic self-avoidance of a certain types of interneuron in mammalian retina. However, the functions of these DSCAMs in developing mammalian cerebral cortex are not well understood. Here we reduced the expression of DSCAM or DSCAML1 in mouse cortical neurons by RNA interference both in vitro and in vivo. We found that knockdown of DSCAM or DSCAML1 increases the complexity of proximal dendritic branching, and impedes the axon growth in cultured neurons. In vivo knockdown experiments showed that both DSCAM and DSCAML1 contribute to normal radial migration and callosal projection during the postnatal development. Our results indicate an important role of DSCAM and DSCAML1 in the development of cortical neural network.

Synaptic connections of first-stage visual neurons in the locust Schistocerca gregaria extend evolution of tetrad synapses back 200 million years

The small size of some insects, and the crystalline regularity of their eyes, have made them ideal for large-scale reconstructions of visual circuits. In phylogenetically recent muscomorph flies, like Drosophila, precisely coordinated output to different motion-processing pathways is delivered by photoreceptors (R cells), targeting four different postsynaptic cells at each synapse (tetrad). Tetrads were linked to the evolution of aerial agility. To reconstruct circuits for vision in the larger brain of a locust, a phylogenetically old, flying insect, we adapted serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM). Locust lamina monopolar cells, L1 and L2, were the main targets of the R cell pathway, L1 and L2 each fed a different circuit, only L1 providing feedback onto R cells. Unexpectedly, 40% of all locust R cell synapses onto both L1 and L2 were tetrads, revealing the emergence of tetrads in an arthropod group present 200 million years before muscomorph flies appeared, coinciding with the early evolution of flight.

Morphological identification and development of neurite in Drosophila ventral nerve cord neuropil

In Drosophila, ventral nerve cord (VNC) occupies most of the larval central nervous system (CNS). However, there is little literature elaborating upon the specific types and growth of neurites as defined by their structural appearance in Drosophila larval VNC neuropil. Here we report the ultrastructural development of different types VNC neurites in ten selected time points in embryonic and larval stages utilizing transmission electron microscopy. There are four types of axonal neurites as classified by the type of vesicular content: clear vesicle (CV) neurites have clear vesicles and some T-bar structures; Dense-core vesicle (DV) neurites have dense-core vesicles and without T-bar structures; Mixed vesicle (MV) neurites have mixed vesicles and some T-bar structures; Large vesicle (LV) neurites are dominated by large, translucent spherical vesicles but rarely display T-bar structures. We found dramatic remodeling in CV neurites which can be divided into five developmental phases. The neurite is vacuolated in primary (P) phase, they have mitochondria, microtubules or big dark vesicles in the second (S) phase, and they contain immature synaptic features in the third (T) phase. The subsequent bifurcate (B) phase appears to undergo major remodeling with the appearance of the bifurcation or dendritic growth. In the final mature (M) phase, high density of commensurate synaptic vesicles are distributed around T-bar structures. There are four kinds of morphological elaboration of the CV_I neurite sub-types. First, new neurite produces at the end of axon. Second, new neurite bubbles along the axon. Third, the preexisting neurite buds and develops into several neurites. The last, the bundled axons form irregularly shape neurites. Most CV_I neurites in M phase have about 1.5–3 µm diameter, they could be suitable to analyze their morphology and subcellular localization of specific proteins by light microscopy, and they could serve as a potential model in CNS in vivo development.

Cell-specific alternative splicing of Drosophila Dscam2 is crucial for proper neuronal wiring

How a finite number of genes specify a seemingly infinite number of neuronal connections is a central question in neurobiology. Alternative splicing has been proposed to increase proteome diversity in the brain. Here we show that cell-specific alternative splicing of a cell-surface protein is crucial for neuronal wiring. Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 2 (Dscam2) is a conserved homophilic binding protein that can induce repulsion between opposing neurons. In the fly visual system, L1 and L2 neurons both require Dscam2 repulsion, but paradoxically, they also physically contact each other. We found that the cell-specific expression of two biochemically distinct alternative isoforms of Dscam2 prevents these cells from repelling each other. Phenotypes were observed in the axon terminals of L1 and L2 when they expressed the incorrect isoform, demonstrating a requirement for distinct isoforms. We conclude that cell-specific alternative splicing is a mechanism for achieving proper connectivity between neurons.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic specificity

Precise connectivity in neuronal circuits is a prerequisite for proper brain function. The dauntingly complex environment encountered by axons and dendrites, even after navigation to their target area, prompts the question of how specificity of synaptic connections arises during development. We review developmental strategies and molecular mechanisms that are used by neurons to ensure their precise matching of pre- and postsynaptic elements. The emerging theme is that each circuit uses a combination of simple mechanisms to achieve its refined, often complex connectivity pattern. At increasing levels of resolution, from lamina choice to subcellular targeting, similar signaling concepts are reemployed to narrow the choice of potential matches. Temporal control over synapse development and synapse elimination further ensures the specificity of connections in the nervous system.

The irre cell recognition module (IRM) protein Kirre is required to form the reciprocal synaptic network of L4 neurons in the Drosophila lamina

Each neuropil module, or cartridge, in the fly's lamina has a fixed complement of cells. Of five types of monopolar cell interneurons, only L4 has collaterals that invade neighboring cartridges. In the proximal lamina, these collaterals form reciprocal synapses with both the L2 of their own cartridge and the L4 collateral branches from two other neighboring cartridges. During synaptogenesis, L4 collaterals strongly express the cell adhesion protein Kirre, a member of the irre cell recognition module (IRM) group of proteins ( Fischbach et al., 2009 , J Neurogenet, 23, 48-67). The authors show by mutant analysis and gene knockdown techniques that L4 neurons develop their lamina collaterals in the absence of this cell adhesion protein. Using electron microscopy (EM), the authors demonstrate, however, that without Kirre protein these L4 collaterals selectively form fewer synapses. The collaterals of L4 neurons of various genotypes reconstructed from serial-section EM revealed that the number of postsynaptic sites was dramatically reduced in the absence of Kirre, almost eliminating any synaptic input to L4 neurons. A significant reduction of presynaptic sites was also detected in kirre(0) mutants and gene knockdown flies using RNA interference. L4 neuron reciprocal synapses are thus almost eliminated. A presynaptic marker, Brp-short(GFP) confirmed these data using confocal microscopy. This study reveals that removing Kirre protein specifically disrupts the functional L4 synaptic network in the Drosophila lamina.

Dscam1 is required for normal dendrite growth and branching but not for dendritic spacing in Drosophila motoneurons

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, Dscam, serves diverse neurodevelopmental functions, including axon guidance and synaptic adhesion, as well as self-recognition and self-avoidance, depending on the neuron type, brain region, or species under investigation. In Drosophila, the extensive molecular diversity that results from alternative splicing of Dscam1 into >38,000 isoforms provides neurons with a unique molecular code for self-recognition in the nervous system. Each neuron produces only a small subset of Dscam1 isoforms, and distinct Dscam1 isoforms mediate homophilic interactions, which in turn, result in repulsion and even spacing of self-processes, while allowing contact with neighboring cells. While these mechanisms have been shown to underlie mushroom body development and spacing of mechanosensory neuron dendrites, here we report that Dscam1 plays no role in adult Drosophila motoneuron dendrite spacing, but is required for motoneuron dendritic growth. Targeted expression of Dscam-RNAi in an identified flight motoneuron did not impact dendrite spacing, but instead produced overgrowth. Increasing the knockdown strength severely reduced dendritic growth and branching. Similarly, Dscam mutant motoneurons in an otherwise control background (MARCM) were completely devoid of mature dendrites. These data suggest that Dscam1 is required cell autonomously for normal adult motoneuron dendrite growth in Drosophila. This demonstrates a previously unreported role of Drosophila Dscam1 in central neuron development, and expands the current understanding that Dscam1 operates as a cell adhesion molecule that mediates homophilic repulsion.

Probabilistic splicing of Dscam1 establishes identity at the level of single neurons

The Drosophila Dscam1 gene encodes a vast number of cell recognition molecules through alternative splicing. These exhibit isoform-specific homophilic binding and regulate self-avoidance, the tendency of neurites from the same cell to repel one another. Genetic experiments indicate that different cells must express different isoforms. How this is achieved is unknown, as expression of alternative exons in vivo has not been shown. Here, we modified the endogenous Dscam1 locus to generate splicing reporters for all variants of exon 4. We demonstrate that splicing does not occur in a cell-type-specific fashion, that cells sharing the same anatomical location in different individuals express different exon 4 variants, and that the splicing pattern in a given neuron can change over time. We conclude that splicing is probabilistic. This is compatible with a widespread role in neural circuit assembly through self-avoidance and is incompatible with models in which specific isoforms of Dscam1 mediate homophilic recognition between processes of different cells.

A network of cadherin-mediated interactions polarizes growth cones to determine targeting specificity

Neuronal growth cones select synaptic partners through interactions with multiple cell surfaces in their environment. Many of these interactions are adhesive, yet it is unclear how growth cones integrate adhesive cues to direct their movements. Here, we examine the mechanisms that enable photoreceptors in the Drosophila visual system to choose synaptic partners. We demonstrate that the classical cadherin, N-cadherin, and an atypical cadherin, Flamingo, act redundantly to instruct the targeting choices made by every photoreceptor axon. These molecules gradually bias the spatial distribution of growth cone filopodia, polarizing each growth cone toward its future synaptic target before direct contact with the target occurs. We demonstrate that these molecules are localized to distinct subcellular domains and create a network of adhesive interactions distributed across many growth cones. Because this network comprises multiple redundant interactions, a complex wiring diagram can be constructed with extraordinary fidelity, suggesting a general principle.

Dscam expression levels determine presynaptic arbor sizes in Drosophila sensory neurons

Expression of the Down syndrome cell-adhesion molecule (Dscam) is increased in the brains of patients with several neurological disorders. Although Dscam is critically involved in many aspects of neuronal development, little is known about either the mechanism that regulates its expression or the functional consequences of dysregulated Dscam expression. Here, we show that Dscam expression levels serve as an instructive code for the size control of presynaptic arbor. Two convergent pathways, involving dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) and fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), control Dscam expression through protein translation. Defects in this regulation of Dscam translation lead to exuberant presynaptic arbor growth in Drosophila somatosensory neurons. Our findings uncover a function of Dscam in presynaptic size control and provide insights into how dysregulated Dscam may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurological disorders.

The cell biology of synaptic specificity during development

Proper circuit connectivity is critical for nervous system function. Connectivity derives from the interaction of two interdependent modules: synaptic specificity and synaptic assembly. Specificity involves both targeting of neurons to specific laminar regions and the formation of synapses onto defined subcellular areas. In this review, we focus discussion on recently elucidated molecular mechanisms that control synaptic specificity and link them to synapse assembly. We use these molecular pathways to underscore fundamental cell biological concepts that underpin, and help explain, the rules governing synaptic specificity.