Role of calcium and vesicle-docking proteins in remobilising dormant neuromuscular junctions in desert frogs

Despite prolonged immobility the desert frog, Cyclorana alboguttata, suffers little impairment in muscle function. To determine compensatory mechanisms at neuromuscular junctions, transmitter release was examined along primary terminals in C. alboguttata iliofibularis muscle. Using extracellular recording we found the amplitudes of evoked endplate currents were significantly smaller in dormant frogs. In active frogs we identified two negatively sloping proximal–distal gradients of transmitter frequency and quantal content; a shallow proximal–distal gradient with low probability of transmitter release (0.6). During aestivation, only a shallow gradient was identified. The high probability release sites in control frogs were inhibited during aestivation by a mechanism that could be reversed by (1) increasing the extracellular calcium concentration, and (2) increasing the frequency of stimulation. This suggests that transmitter vesicles are available during aestivation but not released. We quantified expression of messenger RNA transcripts coding for the transmitter vesicle-docking proteins synaptotagmin 1, syntaxin 1B and UNC-13. All three were rare transcripts maintained at control values during aestivation. Neuromuscular remobilisation after dormancy in C. alboguttata is more likely a product of rapidly reversible physiologic mechanisms than reorganisations of the neuromuscular transcriptome

Enzyme activity in the aestivating Green-striped burrowing frog (Cyclorana alboguttata)

Green-striped burrowing frogs (Cyclorana alboguttata) can depress their resting metabolism by more than 80% during aestivation. Previous studies have shown that this species is able to withstand long periods of immobilisation during aestivation while apparently maintaining whole muscle mass and contractile performance. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of prolonged aestivation on the levels of metabolic enzymes (CCO, LDH and CS) in functionally distinct skeletal muscles (cruralis, gastrocnemius, sartorius, iliofibularis and rectus abdominus) and liver of C. alboguttata. CS activity was significantly reduced in all tissues except for the cruralis, gastrocnemius and the liver. LDH activity was significantly reduced in the sartorius and rectus abdominus, but remained at control (active) levels in the other tissues. CCO activity was significantly reduced in the gastrocnemius and rectus abdominus, and unchanged in the remaining tissues. Muscle protein was significantly reduced in the sartorius and iliofibularis during aestivation, and unchanged in the remaining muscles. The results suggest that the energy pathways involved in the production and consumption of ATP are remodelled during prolonged aestivation but selective. Remodelling and subsequent down-regulation of metabolic activity seem to target the smaller non-jumping muscles, while the jumping muscles retain enzyme activities at control levels during aestivation. These results suggest a mechanism by which aestivating C. alboguttata are able to maintain metabolic depression while ensuring that the functional capacity of critical muscles is not compromised upon emergence from aestivation. © 2010 Springer-Verla