Name: examining monosynaptic connections in drosophila using tetrodotoxin resistant sodium channels
Uploaded: 2018-02-14T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Examining Monosynaptic Connections in Drosophila Using Tetrodotoxin Resistant Sodium Channels at JoVE.com

We would like to thank Joshua Singer, Jonathan Schenk, as well as thoughtful reviewers for comments on the manuscript. We would also like to thank Ben White and Harold Zakon for discussions on the technique. Jonathan Schenk provided the data for Figure 3A. This work was supported by a Whitehall Foundation Grant and an NIH R21 to QG.

1. Prepare Flies and Identify GAL4 promoter Lines
<ol>
	<li>Select a GAL4 promoter line and cross it with flies carrying both the UAS-NaChBac transgene and an optogenetic transgene for activation. 
	NOTE: UAS-CsChrimson11 is selected due to its high conductance and the ease with which it activates NaChBac-mediated action potentials. Both UAS-NaChBac and UAS-CsChrimson are available from the Bloomington Stocks Repository.</li>
	<li>Prepare all-trans retinal as a stock solution in ethanol (35...

<ol>
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TERPS analysis compliments current techniques used for circuit cracking by enabling the detection of synapses between identified neurons. Specifically, the approach reveals monosynaptic connections by broadly silencing action potentials with TTX while restoring excitability in a select population of neurons with the TTX-insensitive sodium channel NaChBac. Synaptic release is elicited by optogenetic stimulation while postsynaptic events are monitored with whole-cell recordings. TERPS distinguishes itself from other approa...

A major goal of neuroscience is to map the connections between neurons to understand how information flows through circuits. Numerous approaches and resources have become available to test for functional connectivity between neurons in a range of model systems1,2. To generate the most accurate wiring diagrams using electrophysiology, it is important to resolve whether observed connections between two cells are direct and monosynaptic versus indirect and polysynaptic. A gold standard for making this distinction in mammalian neurons is to measure the latency between single action potentials in the presynaptic cells and the onset of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in the second neuron. Monosynaptic connections should have short latencies of a few milliseconds and low variability3. This approach can be complicated in invertebrate neurons because synapses may occur in their dendrites far from the somatic recording site, causing delays in detection due to long electrotonic distances between postsynaptic conductances and the recording electrode. Such delays can introduce ambiguity regarding poly- versus monosynaptic contributions. Additionally, small synaptic events may decay before reaching the somatic recordings site, and driving stronger presynaptic activity, is likely to recruit polysynaptic events.
Various techniques have been developed to test for monosynaptic connections in invertebrates. One approach uses high divalent cation solutions (Hi-Di) containing excess Mg++ and Ca++. This solution blocks polysynaptic connections by reducing release probability and increasing action potential threshold to favor detection of monosynaptic input4,5. Determining the precise ratio of Mg++ to Ca++ required, however, is not trivial and polysynaptic contributions may persist for even modest stimulation6. An alternative approach called GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (GRASP) takes advantage of the proximity between pre- and postsynaptic membranes found at synapses to infer a monosynaptic connection 7. Here, a component of green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed in one neuron, and the complementary fragment of the molecule is expressed in a putative postsynaptic partner. The presence of fluorescence indicates that the two neurons are in close enough proximity to permit reconstitution of the GFP molecule and implies the existence of a synapse. GRASP can report synapses falsely, though, if two cells have closely apposed membranes, as in a nerve or fascicle. Variants of GRASP eliminate such false positives by tethering the presynaptic fragment of GFP directly to synaptobrevin, thus allowing reconstitution only at active synapses8. While GRASP and its variants have been instrumental in determining functional connectivity in the Drosophila CNS, some connections may not be made visible by GRASP if the distances between pre- and postsynaptic partners is relatively large. This is particularly pertinent in the assessment of volume transmission associated with neuromodulation9 or GABAergic inhibition10.
Here, a complementary and novel technique is demonstrated for testing direct monosynaptic connections in the Drosophila CNS. This method, called Tetrodotoxin Engineered Resistance for Probing Synapses (TERPS), works by co-expression of the tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant sodium channel, NaChBac, and an optogenetic activator in a presynaptic cell while recording from putative postsynaptic partners9. In the presence of TTX, all action potential-mediated activity is suppressed in cells other than those expressing NaChBac. The NaChBac channel selectively restores excitability in the targeted presynaptic cell(s), permitting light-evoked synaptic transmission. This method permits strong activation of the presynaptic neurons, such that connections can be resolved postsynaptically by somatic recording while reducing the probability of recruiting polysynaptic circuits. Importantly, this technique permits the study of volume transmission and reveals the spread of transmitter released from a single neuron throughout a circuit. In addition, TERPS can reveal the chemical nature of the connection through conventional pharmacology. TERPS is suitable for use in any model system that allows the transgenic expression of TTX-insensitive sodium channels.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="946">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:216px;">UAS-csChrimson</td>
			<td style="width:219px;">Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">55135</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used as a neural activator</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">UAS-NaChBac</td>
			<td>Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center</td>
			<td>9466</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Resotores excitibility in cells in TTX</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Tetrodotoxin</td>
			<td>Tochris</td>
			<td>1078</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Special permission may be needed to purchase TTX as it is a controlled substance</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">all trans-Retinal</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrichall trans-Retinal</td>
			<td>R2500</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Require co-factor for channelrhodopsin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:216px;">Weldable 321 Stainless Steel&#160;Sheet,&#160;0.002&#34;&#160;Thick,&#160;10&#34;&#160;Wide</td>
			<td>McMaster Carr</td>
			<td>3254K7</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to make custom fly holder. Custom foil can be laser cut at pololu.com from the provided PDF file</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Dissection Microscope</td>
			<td>Zeiss</td>
			<td>Stemi 2000-C</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used for dissection of preparation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Waxer</td>
			<td>Almore</td>
			<td>Eectra Waxer 66000</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used during dissection to secure fly in foil</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Paraffin Wax</td>
			<td>Joann</td>
			<td>4917217</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used with waxer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Number 5 forceps</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>#5CO</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used for dissection and desheathing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Dissection Scissors</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>15001-08</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to remove parts of the cuticle during dissection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Tungsten wire</td>
			<td>A-M Systems</td>
			<td>797500</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Use with electrolysis to make sharpened needles for dissection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Reciculating Peristaltic Pump</td>
			<td>Simply Pumps (Amazon)</td>
			<td>PM200S</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">for recirculating TTX</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Speed Controller for peristaltic pump</td>
			<td>Zitrades (Amazon)</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">N/A</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">PWM Dimming Controller For LED Lights or Ribbon, 12 Volt 8 Amp,Adjustable Brightness Light Switch Dimmer Controller DC12V 8A 96W for Led Strip Light B</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Versa-Mount&#160;Precision Compressed Air Regulator</td>
			<td>McMaster Carr</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">1804T1</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For applying positive pressure during patching</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Glass capilaries</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">TW150F-3</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For patch pipettes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Multipurpose Gauge</td>
			<td>McMaster Carr</td>
			<td>3846K431</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Gauge for pressure regulator</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Electrophysiology Camera</td>
			<td>Dage MTI&#160;</td>
			<td>IR-1000</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Any camera that works in the IR range (850 nm) will work. You do not want to use red illumination as this can activate csChrimson</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">IR LED</td>
			<td>Thorlabs&#160;</td>
			<td>M850F2</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For oblique illumination</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">fiber optic for IR LED</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>M89L01</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Couples to IR LED</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Objective lens&#160;</td>
			<td>Olympus 40X</td>
			<td>LUMPlanFLN</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">This can be used on most microscipes and works well for visualizing fly neurons.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Amber LED</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>M590L3d</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For visualizing RFP and mCherry</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Blue LED</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>M470L3d</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For visualizing GFP</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">GFP filter set</td>
			<td>Chroma</td>
			<td>49011</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For visualizing GFP or stimulating channel2rhodopsin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Custom mCherry Filter Set</td>
			<td>Chroma</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">&#160;et580/25x and t600lpxr (from the 49306 set) but with an et610lp barrier/emission optic</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Use only if you wish to patch identified neurons with channel2rhodopsin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Dichroic to combine Amber and blue LED</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td style="width:344px;">DMLP550R</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Use only patch under mCherry and excite channel2rhodopsin with blue light.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Red LED</td>
			<td>LEDSupply</td>
			<td>Cree XPE 620 - 630 nm</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to drive csChrimson</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">LED Driver</td>
			<td>LEDSupply</td>
			<td>3021-D-E-1000</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to drive LEDs for optogenetic stimulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Manipulator</td>
			<td>Sutter Instruments</td>
			<td>MP-225</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to position pipette during recordings</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Patchclamp Amplifier</td>
			<td>A-M Systems</td>
			<td>Model 2400</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">An equivalent amplifier is suitable</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Bessel Filter</td>
			<td>Warner Instruments&#160;</td>
			<td>LPF 202A</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Auxillary filter used to filter current trace to oscilloscope during patching.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Data Acquisition System&#160;</td>
			<td>National Instruments</td>
			<td>NI PCIe-6321&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; 781044-01</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to record data from amplifier to computer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Connector Block - BNC Terminal BNC-2090A</td>
			<td>National Instruments</td>
			<td>779556-01</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to connect amplifier to DAQ card.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Steel Foil&#160;</td>
			<td>McMaster Carr</td>
			<td>3254K7</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Steel foil for custom recording chamber</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;">Magnets</td>
			<td>K&#38;J Magnetics</td>
			<td>D42</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">To secure recording chamber to ring stand</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="100">
			<td height="100" style="height:100px;">1/16&#34; Cell Cast Acrylic Clear</td>
			<td>Pololu</td>
			<td></td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Used to make custom recording chamber. Acrylic can be laser cut at pololu.com from the provided PDF file</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

examining monosynaptic connections in drosophila using tetrodotoxin resistant sodium channels

Here, a new technique termed Tetrotoxin (TTX) Engineered Resistance for Probing Synapses (TERPS) is applied to test for monosynaptic connections between target neurons. The method relies on co-expression of a transgenic activator with the tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channel, NaChBac, in a specific presynaptic neuron. Connections with putative post-synaptic partners are determined by whole-cell recordings in the presence of TTX, which blocks electrical activity in neurons that do not express NaChBac. This approach can be modified to work with any activator or calcium imaging as a reporter of connections. TERPS adds to the growing set of tools available for determining connectivity within networks. However, TERPS is unique in that it also reliably reports bulk or volume transmission and spillover transmission.

TERPS is used to distinguish between mono- and polysynaptic contributions in synaptic connections between neurons. While weak stimulation of a cell may be used to test direct connections, driving greater presynaptic activity often recruits polysynaptic connections (Figure 1A). TERPS works by co-expressing the TTX-insensitive sodium channel NaChBac and an optogenetic activator, and testing connections in the presence of TTX to eliminate polysynaptic connection...

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Examining Monosynaptic Connections in Drosophila Using Tetrodotoxin Resistant Sodium Channels

This article features a method to test the monosynaptic connections between neurons by employing tetrodotoxin and the tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium channel, NaChBac.

Examining Monosynaptic Connections in Drosophila Using Tetrodotoxin Resistant Sodium Channels

Here, a new technique termed Tetrotoxin (TTX) Engineered Resistance for Probing Synapses (TERPS) is applied to test for monosynaptic connections between ...

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