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α-Synuclein can inhibit SNARE-mediated vesicle fusion through direct interactions with lipid bilayers
David C DeWitt1, Elizabeth Rhoades
1Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
Abstract:
The native function of α-synuclein is thought to involve regulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking. Recent work has also implicated a role in neurotransmission, possibly through interactions with the proteins involved in synaptic vesicle fusion. Here, we demonstrate that α-synuclein inhibits SNARE-mediated vesicle fusion through binding the membrane, without a direct interaction between α-synuclein and any of the SNARE proteins. This work supports a model in which α-synuclein plays a role in the regulation of vesicle fusion by modulating properties of the lipid bilayer.
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