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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Analysis of SNARE-mediated Membrane Fusion Using an Enzymatic Cell Fusion Assay
Published on: October 19, 2012
Fusion of cells by flipped SNAREs
Chuan Hu1, Mahiuddin Ahmed, Thomas J Melia
1Cellular Biochemistry and Biophysics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, Box 251, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Abstract:
The SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) hypothesis suggests that pairs of proteins known as vesicle (v-) SNAREs and target membrane (t-) SNAREs interact specifically to control and mediate intracellular membrane fusion events. Here, cells expressing the interacting domains of v- and t-SNAREs on the cell surface were found to fuse spontaneously, demonstrating that SNAREs are sufficient to fuse biological membranes.
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