The evolutionarily conserved gene LNP-1 is required for synaptic vesicle trafficking and synaptic transmission.

The control of vesicle-mediated transport in nerve cells is of great importance in the function, development and maintenance of synapse. In this paper, we characterize the new Caenorhabditis elegans gene, lnp-1. The lnp-1 gene is broadly distributed in many neuronal structures and its localization is dependent of the UNC-104/kinesin protein. Deletion mutations in lnp-1 result in increased resistance to aldicarb, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, and in locomotor defects. However, sensitivity to levamisole, a nicotinic agonist which, unlike aldicarb, only affects postsynaptic function, was similar to that of wild-type animals, suggesting a presynaptic function for LNP-1 in neurotransmission. The mislocalization of presynaptic proteins, such as synaptobrevin-1 or RAB-3, in lnp-1 mutants further supports this hypothesis. In summary, our studies suggest that LNP-1 plays a role in synaptogenesis by regulating vesicular transport or localization.