Figure 4. Functional analysis of SMN targets identifies CG8408/Stasimon as a novel gene required for synaptic transmission in Drosophila.

(A) Evoked Excitatory Post-Synaptic Potentials (eEPSPs) in smn^73A0 and smn^X7 mutant Drosophila larvae and following mRNA knockdown of the indicated genes by pan-neural expression of UAS-RNAi constructs with C155-Gal4 normalized to control. (B₁–B₃) Schematic representation of the stas^EY04008 mutant showing the site of P-element insertion within the 5′ UTR region of the stasimon (CG8408) gene (B₁). RT-qPCR analysis of Stasimon mRNA levels in control and stas^EY04008 larvae (B₂). Normalized eEPSP amplitude in control and stas^EY04008 larvae with or without expression of UAS-Stasimon with the pan-neuronal nsyb-Gal4 driver relative to control (B₃). (C) Representative eEPSP traces from larvae with Stasimon RNAi in all neurons (C155-Gal4; PAN), motor neurons (OK371-Gal4; MN) or cholinergic neurons (Cha-Gal4; CHOL) normalized to control. (D) Quantification of eEPSP amplitudes in larvae with Stasimon RNAi in specific neuronal types normalized to control.

Data in all graphs are represented as mean and SEM. See also Figure S4.