Preface-The central player in the road trip of axon guidance is the growth cone, a dynamic structure located at the tip of the growing axon. During its journey, the growth cone comprises both `vehicle' and `navigator'. Whereas the `vehicle' maintains growth cone movement and provides the cytoskeletal structural elements of its framework, a motor to move forward, and a mechanism to provide traction on the road, the `navigator' aspect guides this system in a spatially-biased way to translate environmental signals into directional movement. Understanding the functions and regulation of the vehicle and navigator provides new insights into the cell biology of growth cone guidance.

Here, we examine the synaptic function of the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP), Dlar, and an associated intracellular protein, Dliprin-alpha, at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction. We show that Dliprin-alpha and Dlar are required for normal synaptic morphology. We also find that synapse complexity is proportional to the amount of Dlar gene product, suggesting that Dlar activity determines synapse size. Ultrastructural analysis reveals that Dliprin-alpha and Dlar are required to define the size and shape of the presynaptic active zone. Accordingly, there is a concomitant decrease in synaptic transmission in both mutants. Finally, epistasis analysis indicates that Dliprin-alpha is required for Dlar's action at the synapse. These data suggest a model where Dliprin-alpha and Dlar cooperate to regulate the formation and/or maintenance of a network of presynaptic proteins.

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