Drep-2 is a novel synaptic protein important for learning and memory
Authors
- T.F.M. Andlauer
- S. Scholz-Kornehl
- R. Tian
- M. Kirchner
- H.A. Babikir
- H. Depner
- B. Loll
- C. Quentin
- V.K. Gupta
- M.G. Holt
- S. Dipt
- M. Cressy
- M.C. Wahl
- A. Fiala
- M. Selbach
- M. Schwärzel
- S.J. Sigrist
Journal
- eLife
Citation
- eLife 3: e03895
Abstract
CIDE-N domains mediate interactions between the DNase Dff40/CAD and its inhibitor Dff45/ICAD. In this study, we report that the CIDE-N protein Drep-2 is a novel synaptic protein important for learning and behavioral adaptation. Drep-2 was found at synapses throughout the Drosophila brain and was strongly enriched at mushroom body input synapses. It was required within Kenyon cells for normal olfactory short- and intermediate-term memory. Drep-2 colocalized with metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Chronic pharmacological stimulation of mGluRs compensated for drep-2 learning deficits, and drep-2 and mGluR learning phenotypes behaved non-additively, suggesting that Drep 2 might be involved in effective mGluR signaling. In fact, Drosophila fragile X protein mutants, shown to benefit from attenuation of mGluR signaling, profited from the elimination of drep-2. Thus, Drep-2 is a novel regulatory synaptic factor, probably intersecting with metabotropic signaling and translational regulation.