Authors
Grabner CP, Jansen I, Neef J, Weihs T, Schmidt R, Riedel D, Wurm CA, Moser T
Journal
Science Advances
Citation
Sci Adv. 2022 Jul 15;8(28):eabl7560.
Abstract
Cells assemble macromolecular complexes into scaffoldings that serve as substrates for catalytic processes. Years of molecular neurobiology indicate that neurotransmission depends on such optimization strategies. However, the molecular topography of the presynaptic Active Zone (AZ), where transmitter is released upon synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion, remains to be visualized. Therefore, we implemented MINFLUX optical nanoscopy to resolve the AZ of rod photoreceptors. This built on a novel sample immobilization technique that we name Heat Assisted Rapid Dehydration (HARD), wherein a thin layer of rod synaptic terminals (spherules) was transferred onto glass coverslips from fresh retinal slices. Ribbon-type rod AZs were readily immunolabeled and imaged in 3D with a precision of few nanometers. Our 3D-MINFLUX results indicate that the SV release site in rods is a molecular complex of bassoon−RIM2−ubMunc13-2−Cav1.4, which repeats longitudinally on both sides of the ribbon.
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abl7560. Epub 2022 Jul 15
Pubmed Link
