Rapsyn mediates subsynaptic anchoring of PKA type I and stabilisation of acetylcholine receptor in vivo

J Cell Sci. 2012 Feb 1;125(Pt 3):714-23. doi: 10.1242/jcs.092361. Epub 2012 Feb 13.

Abstract

The stabilisation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the neuromuscular junction depends on muscle activity and the cooperative action of myosin Va and protein kinase A (PKA) type I. To execute its function, PKA has to be present in a subsynaptic microdomain where it is enriched by anchoring proteins. Here, we show that the AChR-associated protein, rapsyn, interacts with PKA type I in C2C12 and T-REx293 cells as well as in live mouse muscle beneath the neuromuscular junction. Molecular modelling, immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation approaches identify an α-helical stretch of rapsyn to be crucial for binding to the dimerisation and docking domain of PKA type I. When expressed in live mouse muscle, a peptide encompassing the rapsyn α-helical sequence efficiently delocalises PKA type I from the neuromuscular junction. The same peptide, as well as a rapsyn construct lacking the α-helical domain, induces severe alteration of acetylcholine receptor turnover as well as fragmentation of synapses. This shows that rapsyn anchors PKA type I in close proximity to the postsynaptic membrane and suggests that this function is essential for synapse maintenance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type I / chemistry
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type I / metabolism*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscle Proteins / chemistry
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / innervation
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Neuromuscular Junction / metabolism
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Protein Stability
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Synapses / metabolism*

Substances

  • Muscle Proteins
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • peripheral membrane protein 43K
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Type I