Drosophila adducin interacts with synaptic modelling proteins: Draper and Discs-large

Manipulation of the postsynaptic hu-li tai-shao (hts) transcript can affect synaptic development and plasticity. Hts is an actin-spectrin binding protein that is situated close to the synaptic cell membrane where it can co-localize with many synaptic modelling proteins. Two proteins, Draper (Drpr) and Discs large (Dlg), were found to be regulated by Hts at the postsynaptic membrane of Drosophila 3rd instar larval NMJ. Interestingly, both interacting partners are known to be involved in synaptic remodeling, where Drpr is involved in synaptic pruning and Dlg is involved in the regulation of synaptic cell-cell adhesion. In this study I focused on the characterization of interactions between Hts and Drpr while looking into the possibility that Dlg serves as a mediator between these interactions. I found genetic interaction between hts and drpr, and saw a potential triple-protein-complex between Hts, Dlg and Drpr, which may work together to manipulate synaptic development.