Abstract

Prof. James Rothman, Wallace Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Chairman of Cell Biology, Executive Director of Yale Centre, Yale University, U.S.A.

Intracellular membrane fusion is catalyzed by the zippering of SNARE proteins into helical bundles (termed trans-SNARE complexes, or SNAREpins) between membranes, forcing their bilayers together. In synaptic transmission, fusion does not occur until calcium enters the pre-synaptic cytoplasm. Recent studies shed light both on the biophysics of fusion and on how it is regulated for precise release of neurotransmitters and hormones.

Host: Prof. Hong WanJin