Zhao-Wen Wang

Regulation of neurotransmitter release by Ca2+ and Ca2+-sensitive proteins Function and regulation of gap junctions My lab uses the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a model organism to study molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release, and the function and regulation of gap junctions. C. elegans is a very powerful model system for studying fundamental biological problems, which is highlighted by the award of two recent Noble prizes (Physiology or Medicine, 2002 and 2006) to scientists studying C. elegans. Ca2+ plays key roles in neurotransmitter release. It triggers the release by directly binding to Ca2+ sensor(s) at the presynaptic site, and regulates the release by modulating the activities of several presynaptic proteins. We study the functions of presynaptic voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, ryanodine receptor (a Ca2+-releasing channel in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane), BK channel (a large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel), and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in neurotransmitter release, and try to determine whether and how these proteins interact at the presynaptic site. These research programs have the potential to significantly advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission. Gap junctions are intercellular channels that are almost ubiquitously expressed. However, their biological functions and regulations are still poorly understood. My lab was the first (so far the only one) to adapt the dual whole-cell voltage clamp technique to the analysis of electrical coupling in body-wall muscle cells of Caenorhabditis elegans. We use a combination of electrophysiological, genetic, and cell biological techniques to identify and characterize conserved mechanisms of gap junction assembly and regulation.

[2025] Presenilin Loss Impairs Synaptic Transmission and Causes Axonal Degeneration through Ryanodine Receptor Dysfunction, Independent of γ-Secretase Activity. - Du, Xinran; Niu, Longgang; Ragan, Michal; Fracz, Zuzanna; Wang, Zhao-Wen - The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience - 2025 Oct; [2025] Track-A-Worm 2.0: A Software Suite for Quantifying Properties of C. elegans Locomotion, Bending, Sleep, and Action Potentials. - Vedantham, Kiranmayi; Niu, Longgang; Ma, Ryan; Connelly, Liam; Nagella, Anusha; Wang, Sijie Jason; Wang, Zhao-Wen - eNeuro - 2025 Aug; [2025] Configuration of electrical synapses filters sensory information to drive behavioral choices. - Almoril-Porras, Agustin; Calvo, Ana C; Niu, Longgang; Beagan, Jonathan; Díaz Garcí­a, Malcom;