RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 FMRP sustains presynaptic function via control of activity-dependent bulk endocytosis JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2020.09.10.291062 DO 10.1101/2020.09.10.291062 A1 Katherine Bonnycastle A1 Peter C. Kind A1 Michael A. Cousin YR 2020 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/09/10/2020.09.10.291062.abstract AB Synaptic vesicle (SV) recycling is essential for the maintenance of neurotransmission, with a number of neurodevelopmental disorders linked to defects in this process. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) results from a loss of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) encoded by the FMR1 gene. FMRP is an established translation repressor, however it also has translation-independent presynaptic roles, including regulation of the trafficking and function of specific ion channels. Since defects in SV recycling are exacerbated during intense neuronal activity, we investigated whether these events were disproportionately affected by the absence of FMRP. We revealed that primary neuronal cultures from a Fmr1 knockout rat model display a specific defect in activity-dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE). ADBE is dominant during intense neuronal activity, and this defect resulted in an inability of Fmr1 knockout neurons to sustain SV recycling during trains of high frequency stimulation. Using a molecular replacement strategy, we revealed that a human FMRP interaction mutant failed to correct ADBE dysfunction in knockout neurons. Therefore, FMRP performs a key role in sustaining neurotransmitter release via selective control of the endocytosis mode, ADBE.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Loss of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) results in fragile X syndrome (FXS), however whether its loss has a direct role in neurotransmitter release remains a matter of debate. We demonstrate that neurons lacking FMRP display a specific defect in a mechanism that sustains neurotransmitter release during intense neuronal firing, called activity-dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE). This discovery provides key insights into mechanisms of brain communication that occur due to loss of FMRP function. Importantly it also reveals ADBE as a potential therapeutic target to correct the circuit hyperexcitabilty observed in FXS.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.