Presynaptic coupling by electrical synapses coordinates a rhythmic behavior by synchronizing the activities of a neuron pair.

ABSTRACT: Electrical synapses are specialized structures that mediate the flow of electrical currents between neurons and have well known roles in synchronizing the activities of neuronal populations, both by mediating the current transfer from more active to less active neurons and by shunting currents from active neurons to their less active neighbors. However, how these positive and negative functions of electrical synapses are coordinated to shape rhythmic synaptic outputs and behavior is not well understood. Here, using a combination of genetics, behavioral analysis, and live calcium imaging in Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that electrical synapses formed by the gap junction protein INX-1/innexin couple the presynaptic terminals of a pair of motor neurons (AVL and DVB) to synchronize their ac

SUBMITTER: Choi U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8157971 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature