A SNARE protein contributes a helical segment to a membrane-fusion assembly. Complementary SNARE proteins on opposing membranes form a SNARE complex whose assembly helps pull the membranes together. Syntaxins, SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin illustrate different components of the neuronal machinery. Purified components reconstituted into separate liposomes can promote fusion, showing that these proteins participate directly in membrane rearrangement. Cellular control additionally involves targeting and regulatory factors. [ref]
SNAREpins: minimal machinery for membrane fusion by T. Weber and others. Weber and others, 1998, abstract: recombinant v- and t-SNARE reconstitution
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