Drosophila neuromuscular synapse assembly and function require the TGF‐β type I receptor saxophone and the transcription factor Mad

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Abstract
Transforming growth factor‐βs (TGF‐β) comprise a superfamily of secreted proteins with diverse functions in patterning and cell division control. TGF‐β signaling has been implicated in synapse assembly and plasticity in both vertebrate and invertebrate systems. Recently, wishful thinking, a Drosophila gene that encodes a protein related to BMP type II receptors, has been shown to be required for the normal function and development of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). These findings suggest that a TGF‐β‐related ligand activates a signaling cascade involving type I and II receptors and the Smad family of transcription factors to orchestrate the assembly of the NMJ. Here we demonstrate that the TGF‐β type I receptor Saxophone and the downstream transcription factor Mothers against dpp (Mad) are essential for the normal structural and functional development of the Drosophila NMJ, a synapse that displays activity‐dependent plasticity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 55: 134–150, 2003