Munc13-1 is a Ca 2+-phospholipid-dependent vesicle priming hub that shapes synaptic short-term plasticity and enables sustained neurotransmission

Authors

Lipstein N, Chang S, Lin KH, López-Murcia FJ, Neher E, Taschenberger H, Brose N

Journal

Neuron

Citation

Neuron. 2021 Oct 21:S0896-6273(21)00727-3.

Abstract

During ongoing presynaptic action potential (AP) firing, transmitter release is limited by the availability of release-ready synaptic vesicles (SVs). The rate of SV recruitment (SVR) to release sites is strongly upregulated at high AP frequencies to balance SV consumption. We show that Munc13-1-an essential SV priming protein-regulates SVR via a Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent mechanism. Using knockin mouse lines with point mutations in the Ca2+-phospholipid-binding C2B domain of Munc13-1, we demonstrate that abolishing Ca2+-phospholipid binding increases synaptic depression, slows recovery of synaptic strength after SV pool depletion, and reduces temporal fidelity of synaptic transmission, while increased Ca2+-phospholipid binding has the opposite effects. Thus, Ca2+-phospholipid binding to the Munc13-1-C2B domain accelerates SVR, reduces short-term synaptic depression, and increases the endurance and temporal fidelity of neurotransmission, demonstrating that Munc13-1 is a core vesicle priming hub that adjusts SV re-supply to demand.

DOI

10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.054

Pubmed Link