Molecular organization of synaptic vesicles (A12*)

• Subject Area: Structural Biology ; Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317475864

We hypothesize that protein clustering is important within synaptic vesicles, allowing the formation of pre-assembled functional units. Such units could efficiently preserve protein interactions critical for vesicle function, thereby facilitating the fast kinetics of the synaptic vesicle cycle. Although emerging evidence suggests that various proteins form clusters on the vesicle membrane, the lack of adequate tools has hindered the detailed study of these nano-compartments to date. We will address this here using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET).

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1286: Quantitative Synaptology
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Ruben Fernandez Busnadiego