Abstract

Neurotransmitters are stored in small membrane-bound vesicles at synapses. Neurotransmitter release is initiated by depolarization of the neuron, which in turn activates voltage-gated calcium channels. Calcium influx then triggers the fusion of the synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane. Fusion of the vesicular and plasma membranes is mediated by SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment receptor) proteins. The SNAREs are now known to be used in all trafficking steps of the secretory pathway, including neurotransmission. This chapter describes the discovery of the SNAREs, their relevant structural features, models for their function, the specificity of interactions, and their interactions with the calcium-sensing machinery.

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