Na+/H+ exchange via the Drosophila vesicular glutamate transporter mediates activity‐induced acid efflux from presynaptic terminals

摘要

Key points class="unordered" style="list-style-type:disc" id="tjp12019-list-0001">Intracellular pH regulation is vital to neurons as nerve activity produces large and rapid acid loads in presynaptic terminals.Rapid clearance of acid loads is necessary to maintain control of neurotransmission, but neuronal acid clearance mechanisms remain poorly understood.Glutamate is loaded into synaptic vesicles via the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT), a mechanism conserved across phyla, and this study reports a previously unknown role for VGLUT as an acid‐extruding protein when deposited in the plasmamembrane during exocytosis.The finding was made in Drosophila (fruit fly) larval motor neurons through a combined pharamacological and genetic dissection of presynaptic pH homeostatic mechanisms.A dual role for VGLUT serves to integrate neuronal activity and pH regulation in presynaptic nerve terminals.