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SUMMARY:On the Structural Biochemical Mechanism of Synaptic Neurotransmiss
 ion in the Brain - James Rothman (Yale University)
DTSTART:20160413T140000Z
DTEND:20160413T150000Z
UID:TALK65461@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:INI IT
DESCRIPTION:Neurotransmitters stored in synaptic vesicles at nerve endings
  are synchronously released in less than one millisecond after the action 
 potential arrives and calcium ions secondarily enter the pre-synaptic cyto
 plasm.&nbsp\; This is by far the fastest membrane fusion mechanism in natu
 re\, as is required for all thought and action.&nbsp\; Yet\, neurotransmis
 sion relies on the same SNAREpin zippering mechanism that powers more leis
 urely and less coherent hormone release and vesicle trafficking within the
  cell.  &nbsp\;How can the same molecular machine provide for such action 
 on time scales differing by up to a factor of 10\,000?&nbsp\; Answers are 
 emerging from mechanistic studies of the two key elements of synaptic regu
 latory machinery that together allow many SNAREpins to synchronize spatial
 ly and temporally.&nbsp\; The calcium sensor\, Synaptotagmin\, assembles i
 nto rings that can impede fusion until they disassemble upon binding calci
 um ions.&nbsp\; The rod-like Complexin molecule can organize two layers of
  SNAREpins into zig-zag arrays while at the same time impeding completion 
 of zippering.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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