Neurotransmitter release: Spatio-temporal characterization of membrane fusion intermediates (A04)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: since 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 278001972

Nerve terminals transduce action potentials into neurotransmitter release within less than 100 microseconds. Using unnatural photoactivatable amino acids and reconstituted membrane fusion assays, the Rosenmund/Söllner team showed that protein and lipid interactions of complexin arrest the SNARE fusion machinery in a metastable state and selectively inhibit spontaneous but not evoked transmitter release. Now, they will investigate which interactions of Ca2+ sensor synaptotagmin 1 contribute to precise neurotransmission and how Munc13/Munc18 assemble the release complex.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 186: Molecular Switches: Spatio-temporal Control of Cellular Signal Transmission
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Christian Rosenmund; Professor Dr. Thomas Söllner