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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction
Published on: May 12, 2016
The VAP protein family: from cellular functions to motor neuron disease
Sima Lev1, Daniel Ben Halevy, Diego Peretti
1The Molecular Cell Biology Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. sima.lev@weizmann.ac.il
Abstract:
The VAMP-associated proteins (VAPs) are highly conserved integral endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins implicated in diverse cellular functions, including the regulation of lipid transport and homeostasis, membrane trafficking, neurotransmitter release, stabilization of presynaptic microtubules, and the unfolded protein response. Recently, a single missense mutation within the human VAP-B gene was identified in three forms of familial motor neuron disease. In this review, we integrate results from studies of yeast, fly and mammalian VAPs that provide insight into the structural features of these proteins, the network of VAP-interacting proteins, their possible physiological functions, and their involvement in motor neuron disease.
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