skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: The primed SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin complex for neuronal exocytosis

Journal Article · · Nature (London)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23484· OSTI ID:1390868

Synaptotagmin, complexin, and neuronal SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins mediate evoked synchronous neurotransmitter release, but the molecular mechanisms mediating the cooperation between these molecules remain unclear. Here we determine crystal structures of the primed pre-fusion SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin-1 complex. These structures reveal an unexpected tripartite interface between synaptotagmin-1 and both the SNARE complex and complexin. Simultaneously, a second synaptotagmin-1 molecule interacts with the other side of the SNARE complex via the previously identified primary interface. Mutations that disrupt either interface in solution also severely impair evoked synchronous release in neurons, suggesting that both interfaces are essential for the primed pre-fusion state. Ca2+ binding to the synaptotagmin-1 molecules unlocks the complex, allows full zippering of the SNARE complex, and triggers membrane fusion. The tripartite SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin-1 complex at a synaptic vesicle docking site has to be unlocked for triggered fusion to start, explaining the cooperation between complexin and synaptotagmin-1 in synchronizing evoked release on the sub-millisecond timescale.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
OSTI ID:
1390868
Journal Information:
Nature (London), Vol. 548, Issue 7668; ISSN 0028-0836
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH

References (57)

Synaptotagmin: a calcium sensor on the synaptic vesicle surface journal May 1992
Complexin Clamps Asynchronous Release by Blocking a Secondary Ca2+ Sensor via Its Accessory α Helix journal December 2010
A Complexin/Synaptotagmin 1 Switch Controls Fast Synaptic Vesicle Exocytosis journal September 2006
Crystal structure of a SNARE complex involved in synaptic exocytosis at 2.4 Å resolution journal September 1998
Architecture of the synaptotagmin–SNARE machinery for neuronal exocytosis journal August 2015
Complexin Controls Spontaneous and Evoked Neurotransmitter Release by Regulating the Timing and Properties of Synaptotagmin Activity journal December 2012
Complexin Controls the Force Transfer from SNARE Complexes to Membranes in Fusion journal January 2009
X-ray Structure of a Neuronal Complexin-SNARE Complex from Squid journal May 2002
High Resolution Structure, Stability, and Synaptotagmin Binding of a Truncated Neuronal SNARE Complex journal December 2002
Exploring the gas access routes in a [NiFeSe] hydrogenase using crystals pressurized with krypton and oxygen journal August 2020
PtdInsP2 and PtdSer cooperate to trap synaptotagmin-1 to the plasma membrane in the presence of calcium journal October 2016
Monitoring synaptic transmission in primary neuronal cultures using local extracellular stimulation journal March 2007
PHENIX : building new software for automated crystallographic structure determination journal October 2002
Complexins: small but capable journal August 2015
Processive ATP-driven Substrate Disassembly by the N -Ethylmaleimide-sensitive Factor (NSF) Molecular Machine journal June 2013
Syntaxin-1 N-peptide and Habc-domain perform distinct essential functions in synaptic vesicle fusion journal November 2012
Synaptotagmin I functions as a calcium regulator of release probability journal March 2001
Single-molecule FRET–derived model of the synaptotagmin 1–SNARE fusion complex journal February 2010
Cell biology of Ca2+-triggered exocytosis journal August 2010
Morphologies of synaptic protein membrane fusion interfaces journal July 2017
Complexin synchronizes primed vesicle exocytosis and regulates fusion pore dynamics journal March 2014
Inference of Macromolecular Assemblies from Crystalline State journal September 2007
An optimized growth medium for increased recombinant protein secretion titer via the type III secretion system journal February 2021
Synaptotagmin-1 functions as a Ca2+ sensor for spontaneous release journal May 2009
The Principle of Membrane Fusion in the Cell (Nobel Lecture) journal August 2014
Distinct roles for two synaptotagmin isoforms in synchronous and asynchronous transmitter release at zebrafish neuromuscular junction journal July 2010
Complexin induces a conformational change at the membrane-proximal C-terminal end of the SNARE complex journal June 2016
Neurotransmitter Release: The Last Millisecond in the Life of a Synaptic Vesicle journal October 2013
Direct Interaction of a Ca 2+ -binding Loop of Synaptotagmin with Lipid Bilayers journal May 1998
 E-catenin is an autoinhibited molecule that coactivates vinculin journal May 2012
Functional analysis of the interface between the tandem C2 domains of synaptotagmin-1 journal March 2016
SNAREpins: Minimal Machinery for Membrane Fusion journal March 1998
Synaptotagmin I: A major Ca2+ sensor for transmitter release at a central synapse journal November 1994
Differential but convergent functions of Ca2+ binding to synaptotagmin-1 C2 domains mediate neurotransmitter release journal September 2009
N-terminal domain of complexin independently activates calcium-triggered fusion journal July 2016
Dynamic binding mode of a Synaptotagmin-1–SNARE complex in solution journal June 2015
Synaptotagmin-1 and Synaptotagmin-7 Trigger Synchronous and Asynchronous Phases of Neurotransmitter Release journal November 2013
Complexin cross-links prefusion SNAREs into a zigzag array journal July 2011
Synaptotagmin-1 and -7 are functionally overlapping Ca2+ sensors for exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells journal February 2008
The Ca 2+ Affinity of Synaptotagmin 1 Is Markedly Increased by a Specific Interaction of Its C2B Domain with Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate journal July 2009
Phospholipid binding by a synaptic vesicle protein homologous to the regulatory region of protein kinase C journal May 1990
Protein production by auto-induction in high-density shaking cultures journal May 2005
Synaptotagmin Increases the Dynamic Range of Synapses by Driving Ca2+-Evoked Release and by Clamping a Near-Linear Remaining Ca2+ Sensor journal February 2011
Postsynaptic synaptotagmins mediate AMPA receptor exocytosis during LTP journal March 2017
Overview of the CCP4 suite and current developments. text January 2011
The Calcium-Dependent and Calcium-Independent Membrane Binding of Synaptotagmin 1: Two Modes of C2B Binding journal March 2009
Complexin Activates Exocytosis of Distinct Secretory Vesicles Controlled by Different Synaptotagmins journal January 2013
Post-Translational Modifications and Lipid Binding Profile of Insect Cell-Expressed Full-Length Mammalian Synaptotagmin 1 journal November 2011
Calcium-sensing beyond neurotransmitters: functions of synaptotagmins in neuroendocrine and endocrine secretion journal June 2009
Three-Dimensional Structure of the Complexin/SNARE Complex journal January 2002
Synaptotagmin-1, -2, and -9: Ca2+ Sensors for Fast Release that Specify Distinct Presynaptic Properties in Subsets of Neurons journal May 2007
Three-dimensional structure of the complexin/snare complex journal August 2002
Three-Dimensional Structure of the Synaptotagmin 1 C2B-Domain journal December 2001
Phaser crystallographic software journal July 2007
Genetic Analysis of Synaptotagmin C2 Domain Specificity in Regulating Spontaneous and Evoked Neurotransmitter Release journal January 2013
Structural and functional conservation of synaptotagmin (p65) in Drosophila and humans. journal January 1991
A single C2 domain from synaptotagmin I is sufficient for high affinity Ca2+/phospholipid binding. journal December 1993

Cited By (28)

Resolving indexing ambiguities in X-ray free-electron laser diffraction patterns journal February 2019
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5 Bisphosphate Controls the cis and trans Interactions of Synaptotagmin 1 journal July 2019
An unexpected INAD PDZ tandem-mediated plcβ binding in Drosophila photo receptors journal December 2018
SNARE zippering requires activation by SNARE-like peptides in Sec1/Munc18 proteins journal August 2018
Multiple factors maintain assembled trans-SNARE complexes in the presence of NSF and αSNAP journal January 2019
Mechanism of neurotransmitter release coming into focus: Mechanism of Neurotransmitter Release journal July 2018
The high-affinity calcium sensor synaptotagmin-7 serves multiple roles in regulated exocytosis journal May 2018
The 2018 biomembrane curvature and remodeling roadmap journal July 2018
Munc18 and Munc13 serve as a functional template to orchestrate neuronal SNARE complex assembly journal January 2019
NSF-mediated disassembly of on- and off-pathway SNARE complexes and inhibition by complexin journal July 2018
Synaptotagmin oligomerization is essential for calcium control of regulated exocytosis journal July 2018
MicroRNA-153 impairs presynaptic plasticity by blocking vesicle release following chronic brain hypoperfusion journal April 2020
Hypothesis - buttressed rings assemble, clamp, and release SNAREpins for synaptic transmission journal October 2017
Intrinsically disordered proteins in synaptic vesicle trafficking and release journal January 2019
Structural basis for the clamping and Ca2+ activation of SNARE-mediated fusion by synaptotagmin journal June 2019
Munc13-1 MUN domain and Munc18-1 cooperatively chaperone SNARE assembly through a tetrameric complex journal December 2019
Synaptotagmin 1 oligomers clamp and regulate different modes of neurotransmitter release journal February 2020
Synaptotagmin Ca2+ Sensors and Their Spatial Coupling to Presynaptic Cav Channels in Central Cortical Synapses journal January 2019
Focused clamping of a single neuronal SNARE complex by complexin under high mechanical tension journal September 2018
Calcium Sensors in Neuronal Function and Dysfunction journal March 2019
Keratan sulfate ( KS )‐proteoglycans and neuronal regulation in health and disease: the importance of KS ‐glycodynamics and interactive capability with neuroregulatory ligands journal January 2019
A mechanism for exocytotic arrest by the Complexin C-terminus journal July 2018
Synaptotagmin-1 enables frequency coding by suppressing asynchronous release in a temperature dependent manner journal August 2019
Sensory Processing at Ribbon Synapses in the Retina and the Cochlea journal January 2020
SYT1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder: a case series journal August 2018
Methyl 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoate Induces Neural Stem Cells to Differentiate Into Cholinergic Neurons in vitro journal December 2018
Productive and Non-productive Pathways for Synaptotagmin 1 to Support Ca2+-Triggered Fast Exocytosis journal November 2017
Accessory and Central α-helices of Complexin Selectively Activate Ca2+ Triggering of Synaptic Exocytosis journal February 2018

Similar Records

The primed SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin complex for neuronal exocytosis
Journal Article · Wed Aug 16 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nature (London) · OSTI ID:1390868

Architecture of the synaptotagmin–SNARE machinery for neuronal exocytosis
Journal Article · Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Nature (London) · OSTI ID:1390868

Complexin cross-links prefusion SNAREs into a zigzag array
Journal Article · Tue Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. · OSTI ID:1390868

Related Subjects