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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.


DOI

doi:10.7554/eLife.03895