Alpha-synuclein and cysteine-string protein-alpha (CSPalpha) are abundant synaptic vesicle proteins independently linked to neurodegeneration. Dominantly inherited mutations in alpha-synuclein cause Parkinson's disease, but the physiological role of alpha-synuclein remains unknown. Deletion of CSPalpha produces rapidly progressive neurodegeneration in mice, presumably because the cochaperone function of CSPalpha is essential for neuronal survival. Here, we report the surprising finding that transgenic expression of alpha-synuclein abolishes the lethality and neurodegeneration caused by deletion of CSPalpha. Conversely, ablation of endogenous synucleins exacerbates these phenotypes. Deletion of CSPalpha inhibits SNARE complex assembly; transgenic alpha-synuclein ameliorates this inhibition. In preventing neurodegeneration in CSPalpha-deficient mice, alpha-synuclein does not simply substitute for CSPalpha but acts by a downstream mechanism that requires phospholipid binding by alpha-synuclein. These observations reveal a powerful in vivo activity of alpha-synuclein in protecting nerve terminals against injury and suggest that this activity operates in conjunction with CSPalpha and SNARE proteins on the presynaptic membrane interface.

␣-Synuclein is a small cytosolic protein of presynaptic nerve terminals composed of seven 11-residue repeats and a hydrophilic tail. ␣-Synuclein misfolding and dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and neurodegenerative dementias, but its normal folding and function are unknown. In solution, ␣-synuclein is natively unstructured but assumes an ␣-helical conformation upon binding to phospholipid membranes. We now show that this conformation of ␣-synuclein consists of two ␣-helical regions that are interrupted by a short break. The structural organization of the ␣-helices of ␣-synuclein was not anticipated by sequence analyses and may be important for its pathogenic role.In recent years, the presynaptic protein ␣-synuclein has attracted much attention because of its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases (1-3). Two independent mutations in human ␣-synuclein cause familial Parkinson's disease, and wild type ␣-synuclein is a major component of Lewy bodies, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies found in Parkinson's disease and in several forms of neurodegenerative dementia. However, independent of its role in neurodegenerative diseases, ␣-synuclein is an interesting protein in its own right. It is an abundant presynaptic protein that may regulate neurotransmitter release and may contribute to synaptic plasticity (4 -6). ␣-Synuclein is the founding member of a protein family that additionally includes ␤-and ␥-synucleins and synoretin (7-9). The sequences of all synucleins are similar, although only ␣-synuclein is implicated in disease. Synucleins are composed of six copies (␤-synuclein) or seven copies (all other synucleins) of an unusual 11-residue imperfect repeat, followed by a variable short hydrophilic tail. Synucleins are soluble, natively unfolded proteins that avidly bind to negatively charged phospholipid membranes and become ␣-helical upon binding (10). Although secondary structure predictions indicate that the synuclein repeats could form an amphipathic structure consistent with lipid binding, the ␣-helical conformation is puzzling because the synuclein repeats are punctuated by central glycine residues. Furthermore, in Lewy bodies ␣-synuclein is thought to be in a ␤-strand aggregate, but aggregation of ␣-synuclein into dimers and multimers is promoted by lipid environments that induce an ␣-helical conformation (11-13). In the present study, we have examined the conformation of ␣-synuclein in lipidic environments to understand the relation of its sequence to its physicochemical properties and to map a potential pathway of misfolding in neurodegenerative disease. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURESProduction of ␣-Synuclein-Recombinant ␣-synuclein was expressed in bacteria as GST-fusion proteins with a TEV protease recognition sequence preceding the N-terminal methionine and cleaved with TEV protease (Invitrogen), resulting in a single additional glycine residue at the N terminus. After TEV cleavage, ␣-synuclein was isolated as the only heat-stable component upon boiling for 15 min, purified by i...

An abundant presynaptic protein, ␣-synuclein, is centrally involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. However, conflicting data exist about the normal function of ␣-synuclein, possibly because ␣-synuclein is redundant with the very similar ␤-synuclein. To investigate the functions of synucleins systematically, we have now generated single-and double-knockout (KO) mice that lack ␣-and͞or ␤-synuclein. We find that deletion of synucleins in mice does not impair basic brain functions or survival. We detected no significant changes in the ultrastructure of synuclein-deficient synapses, in short-or long-term synaptic plasticity, or in the pool size or replenishment of recycling synaptic vesicles. However, protein quantitations revealed that KO of synucleins caused selective changes in two small synaptic signaling proteins, complexins and 14-3-3 proteins. Moreover, we found that dopamine levels in the brains of double-KO but not single-KO mice were decreased by Ϸ20%. In contrast, serotonin levels were unchanged, and dopamine uptake and release from isolated nerve terminals were normal. These results show that synucleins are not essential components of the basic machinery for neurotransmitter release but may contribute to the long-term regulation and͞or maintenance of presynaptic function.

Genetic and pathological studies link ␣-synuclein to the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the normal function of this presynaptic protein remains unknown. ␣-Synuclein, an acidic lipid binding protein, shares high sequence identity with ␤-and ␥-synuclein. Previous studies have implicated synucleins in synaptic vesicle (SV) trafficking, although the precise site of synuclein action continues to be unclear. Here we show, using optical imaging, electron microscopy, and slice electrophysiology, that synucleins are required for the fast kinetics of SV endocytosis. Slowed endocytosis observed in synuclein null cultures can be rescued by individually expressing mouse ␣-, ␤-, or ␥-synuclein, indicating they are functionally redundant. Through comparisons to dynamin knock-out synapses and biochemical experiments, we suggest that synucleins act at early steps of SV endocytosis. Our results categorize ␣-synuclein with other familial PD genes known to regulate SV endocytosis, implicating this pathway in PD.

Synucleins are a vertebrate-specific family of abundant neuronal proteins. They comprise three closely related members, α-, β-, and γ-synuclein. α-Synuclein has been the focus of intense attention since mutations in it were identified as a cause for familial Parkinson's disease. Despite their disease relevance, the normal physiological function of synucleins has remained elusive. To address this, we generated and characterized αβγ-synuclein knockout mice, which lack all members of this protein family. Deletion of synucleins causes alterations in synaptic structure and transmission, age-dependent neuronal dysfunction, as well as diminished survival. Abrogation of synuclein expression decreased excitatory synapse size by ∼30% both in vivo and in vitro, revealing that synucleins are important determinants of presynaptic terminal size. Young synuclein null mice show improved basic transmission, whereas older mice show a pronounced decrement. The late onset phenotypes in synuclein null mice were not due to a loss of synapses or neurons but rather reflect specific changes in synaptic protein composition and axonal structure. Our results demonstrate that synucleins contribute importantly to the long-term operation of the nervous system and that alterations in their physiological function could contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease.neurodegeneration | loss-of-function | Lewy bodies | ultrastructure | retina S ynucleins are a family of vertebrate-specific proteins with three closely related members, α-, β-, and γ-synuclein (1, 2). They are abundant neuronal proteins and are reported to account for 0.1% of total brain protein (3, 4). Synucleins have overlapping expression patterns and are enriched in presynaptic termini (5, 6). α-Synuclein has been the focus of intense attention since the identification of dominant mutations and gene multiplications that link it to familial Parkinson's disease (PD) (7). Recently, strong ties between the α-synuclein gene and sporadic PD have emerged in genomewide association studies, making α-synuclein the most broadly relevant PD gene (8, 9). Additionally, α-synuclein is the major component of Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of PD (10). The presynaptic localization and function of synucleins may also have a bearing on PD, as synapses are lost early in disease progression (11).Analysis of α-, β-, and γ-synuclein sequences reveals a shared, highly conserved N-terminal domain (∼80% identical) with a less conserved acidic C terminus (2). The N-terminal domain has seven imperfect repeats of 11 residues with the consensus sequence XKTKEGVXXXX that binds acidic phospholipid surfaces. Upon lipid binding, synucleins undergo a dramatic change to an α-helical conformation (12-14). α-Synuclein adopts either a conformation consisting of two anti-parallel, amphipathic α-helices with an unfolded C terminus (13-15) or a single extended α-helical structure (16, 17). Human β-and γ-synuclein also adopt the two-helix conformation upon folding (18,19). Together, the high sequence homolog...

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The amyloid beta-protein precursor gives rise to the amyloid beta-protein, the principal constituent of senile plaques and a cytotoxic fragment involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. Here we show that amyloid beta-protein precursor was proteolytically cleaved by caspases in the C terminus to generate a second unrelated peptide, called C31. The resultant C31 peptide was a potent inducer of apoptosis. Both caspase-cleaved amyloid beta-protein precursor and activated caspase-9 were present in brains of Alzheimer disease patients but not in control brains. These findings indicate the possibility that caspase cleavage of amyloid beta-protein precursor with the generation of C31 may be involved in the neuronal death associated with Alzheimer disease.

Glucocerebrosidase 1 () mutations responsible for Gaucher disease (GD) are the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the genetic link between GD and PD is well established, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) are not well understood. We propose that glucosylsphingosine, a sphingolipid accumulating in GD, mediates PD pathology in -associated PD. We show that, whereas GD-related sphingolipids (glucosylceramide, glucosylsphingosine, sphingosine, sphingosine-1-phosphate) promote α-synuclein aggregation, glucosylsphingosine triggers the formation of oligomeric α-synuclein species capable of templating in human cells and neurons. Using newly generated GD/PD mouse lines of either sex [ mutant (N370S, L444P, KO) crossed to α-synuclein transgenics], we show that mutations predispose to PD through a loss-of-function mechanism. We further demonstrate that glucosylsphingosine specifically accumulates in young GD/PD mouse brain. With age, brains exhibit glucosylceramide accumulations colocalized with α-synuclein pathology. These findings indicate that glucosylsphingosine promotes pathological aggregation of α-synuclein, increasing PD risk in GD patients and carriers. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the aging population. Glucocerebrosidase 1 mutations, which cause Gaucher disease, are the most common genetic risk factor for PD, underscoring the importance of delineating the mechanisms underlying mutant -associated PD. We show that lipids accumulating in Gaucher disease, especially glucosylsphingosine, play a key role in PD pathology in the brain. These data indicate that ASAH1 (acid ceramidase 1) and GBA2 (glucocerebrosidase 2) enzymes that mediate glucosylsphingosine production and metabolism are attractive therapeutic targets for treating mutant-associated PD.