Molecular Mechanism of Neuronal Communication

Authors

Blake Simmons, Brigham Young University
Dr. Dixon Woodbury, Brigham Young University

Keywords

molecular mechanism, neuronal communication, SNARE proteins

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

Nerve Cells communicate with each other by synaptic transmission. Synaptic transmission is the release by one nerve cell of neurotransmitters packaged in synaptic vesicles. Proteins known as SNAREs, (e.g., synaptobrevin and syntaxin) are believed to drive neurotransmitter release by inducing fusion (exocytosis) within a presynaptic neuron. Figure 1 shows a synaptic vesicle binding to the presynaptic membrane and the interaction of two SNARE proteins.^i,ii My plan was to map which domains of the SNARE protein, syntaxin, are necessary for fusion.

Recommended Citation

Simmons, Blake and Woodbury, Dr. Dixon (2014) "Molecular Mechanism of Neuronal Communication," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 918.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/918