Active Zone Trafficking of CaV2/UNC-2 Channels Is Independent of β/CCB-1 and α2δ/UNC-36 Subunits

The CaV2 voltage-gated calcium channel is the major conduit of calcium ions necessary for neurotransmitter release at presynaptic active zones (AZs). The CaV2 channel is a multimeric complex that consists of a pore-forming α₁ subunit and two auxiliary β and α₂δ subunits. Although auxiliary subunits are critical for channel function, whether they are required for α₁ trafficking is unresolved. Using endogenously fluorescent protein-tagged CaV2 channel subunits in Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that UNC-2/α₁ localizes to AZs even in the absence of CCB-1/β or UNC-36/α₂δ, albeit at low levels. When UNC-2 is manipulated to be trapped in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), CCB-1 and UNC-36 fail to colocalize with UNC-2 in the ER, indicating that they do not coassemble with UNC-2 in the ER. Moreover, blocking ER-associated degradation does not further increase presynaptic UNC-2 channels in ccb-1 or unc-36 mutants, indicating that UNC-2 levels are not regulated in the ER. An unc-2 mutant lacking C-terminal AZ protein interaction sites with intact auxiliary subunit binding sites displays persistent presynaptic UNC-2 localization and a prominent increase of UNC-2 channels in nonsynaptic axonal regions, underscoring a protective role of auxiliary subunits against UNC-2 degradation. In the absence of UNC-2, presynaptic CCB-1 and UNC-36 are profoundly diminished to barely detectable levels, indicating that UNC-2 is required for the presynaptic localization of CCB-1 and UNC-36. Together, our findings demonstrate that although the pore-forming subunit does not require auxiliary subunits for its trafficking and transport to AZs, it recruits auxiliary subunits to stabilize and expand calcium channel signalosomes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Synaptic transmission in the neuron hinges on the coupling of synaptic vesicle exocytosis with calcium influx. This calcium influx is mediated by CaV2 voltage-gated calcium channels. These channels consist of one pore-forming α₁ subunit and two auxiliary β and α₂δ subunits. The auxiliary subunits enhance channel function and regulate the overall level of channels at presynaptic terminals. However, it is not settled how these auxiliary subunits regulate the overall channel level. Our study in C. elegans finds that although the auxiliary subunits do not coassemble with α₁ and aid trafficking, they are recruited to α₁ and stabilize the channel complex at presynaptic terminals. Our study suggests that drugs that target the auxiliary subunits can directly destabilize and have an impact on CaV2 channels.