A role for soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor complex dimerization during neurosecretion

Mol Biol Cell. 2008 Aug;19(8):3379-89. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e08-01-0010. Epub 2008 May 28.

Abstract

The interactions underlying the cooperativity of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes during neurotransmission are not known. Here, we provide a molecular characterization of a dimer formed between the cytoplasmic portions of neuronal SNARE complexes. Dimerization generates a two-winged structure in which the C termini of cytosolic SNARE complexes are in apposition, and it involves residues from the vesicle-associated SNARE synaptobrevin 2 that lie close to the cytosol-membrane interface within the full-length protein. Mutation of these residues reduces stability of dimers formed between SNARE complexes, without affecting the stability of each individual SNARE complex. These mutations also cause a corresponding decrease in the ability of botulinum toxin-resistant synaptobrevin 2 to rescue regulated exocytosis in toxin-treated neuroendocrine cells. Moreover, such synaptobrevin 2 mutants give rise to a dominant-negative inhibition of exocytosis. These data are consistent with an important role for SNARE complex dimers in neurosecretion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Botulinum Toxins / pharmacology
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Dimerization
  • Exocytosis
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • PC12 Cells
  • Rats
  • SNARE Proteins / chemistry
  • SNARE Proteins / metabolism*
  • SNARE Proteins / physiology*
  • Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / metabolism

Substances

  • SNARE Proteins
  • Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2
  • Botulinum Toxins