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Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021 Mar;118(11)

Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065;

Neurotransmitter release during synaptic transmission comprises a tightly orchestrated sequence of molecular events, and Munc13-1 is a cornerstone of the fusion machinery. A forward genetic screen for defects in neurotransmitter release in identified a mutation in the Munc13-1 ortholog UNC-13 that eliminated its unique and deeply conserved C-terminal module (referred to as HC2M) containing a Ca-insensitive C2 domain flanked by membrane-binding helices. The HC2M module could be functionally replaced in vivo by protein domains that localize to synaptic vesicles but not to the plasma membrane. Read More

BMC Endocr Disord 2021 Apr 7;21(1):61. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Ayurveda, Rajiv Gandhi Education Society's Ayurvedic Medical College, Ron, Karanataka, 582209, India.

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a serious threat to childhood life and has fairly complicated pathogenesis. Profound attempts have been made to enlighten the pathogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms of T1D are still not well known.

Methods: To identify the candidate genes in the progression of T1D, expression profiling by high throughput sequencing dataset GSE123658 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Read More

Curr Protein Pept Sci 2021 Mar 25. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah. Saudi Arabia.

The fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane depends on the assembly of v-SNAREs (VAMP2/synaptobrevin2) and t-SNAREs (SNAP25/syntaxin1) into the SNARE complex. Vesicles go through several upstream steps, referred to as docking and priming, to gain fusion competence. The vesicular protein synaptotagmin-1 (Syt-1) is the principal Ca2+ sensor for fusion in several central nervous system neurons and neuroendocrine cells and part of the docking complex for secretory granules. Read More

Annu Rev Biochem 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA; email:

SNARE proteins and Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins constitute the core molecular engine that drives nearly all intracellular membrane fusion and exocytosis. While SNAREs are known to couple their folding and assembly to membrane fusion, the physiological pathways of SNARE assembly and the mechanistic roles of SM proteins have long been enigmatic. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the SNARE-SM fusion machinery with an emphasis on biochemical and biophysical studies of proteins that mediate synaptic vesicle fusion. Read More

Acc Chem Res 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), New Delhi 110016, India.

ConspectusSpherical ordering from small molecules is a subject of intense interest to chemists. The inherent capability of amphiphiles to assemble spontaneously is the unique feature of the evolutionary process of life. Self-assembly is prevalent in biology and has attracted the interest of scientists across several disciplines. Read More