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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

SNAP-25, V-SNARE, synaptobrevin, MSV, modified synaptic vesicles

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

SNAP-25, a protein that is found abundantly in the brain, is a key player in the process of releasing neurotransmitters. Vesicles, or small spheres of lipid membranes, contain neurotransmitters and have numerous proteins that extend outward from the vesicle. To release the neurotransmitters proteins on the vesicle bind with proteins on the pre-synaptic membrane causing the fusion of the two membranes. SNAP-25 along with Syntaxin (membrane bound protein) and Synaptobrevin (vesicle bound protein) work together to form a complex called the SNARE complex (Bowen, 2004). The current theory on how this complex works is that SNAP-25 has to be bound to the pre-synaptic membrane to participate in the SNARE complex. However, after finding that SNAP-25 naturally exists on the vesicle, Dr. Dixon Woodbury began studying to see if SNAP-25 can also act as a vesicle bound protein. Some of Dr. Woodbury’s preliminary data suggests that SNAP-25 may act in such a manner, an ORCA grant was awarded to continue the study of SNAP-25 acting as a vesicle bound protein.

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