Gjd2b-mediated gap junctions promote glutamatergic synapse formation and dendritic elaboration in Purkinje neurons.

Gap junctions between neurons serve as electrical synapses, in addition to conducting metabolites and signaling molecules. During development, early-appearing gap junctions are thought to prefigure chemical synapses, which appear much later. We present evidence for this idea at a central, glutamatergic synapse and provide some mechanistic insights. Loss or reduction in the levels of the gap junction protein Gjd2b decreased the frequency of glutamatergic miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in cerebellar Purkinje neurons (PNs) in larval zebrafish. Ultrastructural analysis in the molecular layer showed decreased synapse density. Further, mEPSCs had faster kinetics and larger amplitudes in mutant PNs, consistent with their stunted dendritic arbors. Time-lapse microscopy in wild-type and mutant PNs reveals that Gjd2b puncta promote the elongation of branches and that CaMKII may be a critical mediator of this process. These results demonstrate that Gjd2b-mediated gap junctions regulate glutamatergic synapse formation and dendritic elaboration in PNs.

Ribosomal protein deficiency causes Tp53-independent erythropoiesis failure in zebrafish.

Diamond-Blackfan anemia is an inherited genetic disease caused by mutations in ribosomal protein genes. The disease is characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital anomalies, and a severe erythroid defect. The activation of the TP53 pathway has been suggested to be critical for the pathophysiology of Diamond-Blackfan anemia. While this pathway plays a role in the morphological defects that associate with ribosomal protein loss-of-function in animal models, its role in the erythroid defects has not been clearly established. To understand the specificity of erythroid defects in Diamond-Blackfan anemia, we knocked down five RP genes (two Diamond-Blackfan anemia-associated and three non-Diamond-Blackfan anemia-associated) in zebrafish and analyzed the effects on the developmental and erythroid phenotypes in the presence and absence of Tp53. The co-inhibition of Tp53 activity rescued the morphological deformities but did not alleviate the erythroid aplasia indicating that ribosomal protein deficiency causes erythroid failure in a Tp53-independent manner. Interestingly, treatment with L-Leucine or L-Arginine, amino acids that augment mRNA translation via mTOR pathway, rescued the morphological defects and resulted in a substantial recovery of erythroid cells. Our results suggest that altered translation because of impaired ribosome function could be responsible for the morphological and erythroid defects in ribosomal protein-deficient zebrafish.