RGD Reference Report - Complexin cross-links prefusion SNAREs into a zigzag array. - Rat Genome Database

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Complexin cross-links prefusion SNAREs into a zigzag array.

Authors: Kümmel, Daniel  Krishnakumar, Shyam S  Radoff, Daniel T  Li, Feng  Giraudo, Claudio G  Pincet, Frederic  Rothman, James E  Reinisch, Karin M 
Citation: Kümmel D, etal., Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2011 Jul 24;18(8):927-33. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.2101.
RGD ID: 13432227
Pubmed: PMID:21785414   (View Abstract at PubMed)
PMCID: PMC3410656   (View Article at PubMed Central)
DOI: DOI:10.1038/nsmb.2101   (Journal Full-text)

Complexin prevents SNAREs from releasing neurotransmitters until an action potential arrives at the synapse. To understand the mechanism for this inhibition, we determined the structure of complexin bound to a mimetic of a prefusion SNAREpin lacking the portion of the v-SNARE that zippers last to trigger fusion. The 'central helix' of complexin is anchored to one SNARE complex, while its 'accessory helix' extends away at ~45° and bridges to a second complex, occupying the vacant v-SNARE binding site to inhibit fusion. We expected the accessory helix to compete with the v-SNARE for t-SNARE binding but found instead that the interaction occurs intermolecularly. Thus, complexin organizes the SNAREs into a zigzag topology that, when interposed between the vesicle and plasma membranes, is incompatible with fusion.

Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Molecular Function
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
protein binding enablesIPIUniProtKB:P60880-213432227PMID:21785414IntAct 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Stx1a  (syntaxin 1A)


Additional Information