Seminar
Structural Insights into the Mechanism of Synaptic Vesicle Fusion
Professor Axel BrungerDept. of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Monday, October 18, 1999
3:00 pm
3269 Beckman Institute
Abstract
Our primary focus is to understand the molecular mechanism of
synaptic neurotransmission, and how this process is controlled and
regulated by a set of dynamically interacting proteins. Vesicle
fusion occurs in several stages: tethering, docking, priming, and
calcium-dependent fusion. We are investigating the proteins involved
at each of these stages by X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic
resonance, and other spectroscopic methods. We have recently
determined the crystal structure of a core of the synaptic fusion
complex of syntaxin, synaptobrevin, and SNAP-25 (Sutton, et al.
Nature 395, 347-353, 1998). The SNARE proteins are the target of the
protease domains of the botulinum and tetanus clostridial
neurotoxins. The SNARE complex plays an essential role in the fusion
of synaptic vesicles with the pre-synaptic membrane. The assembly of
the synaptic fusion complex is associated with a dramatic increase in
stability. The free energy released by the assembly could lead to
membrane fusion. These proteins
and their accessory proteins will be the subject of the seminar.
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Tea and coffee will be served in R3151 Beckman Institute at 2:15
pm and you will have this opportunity to meet the speaker.
