Sec17 (α-SNAP) and an SM-tethering complex regulate the outcome of SNARE zippering in vitro and in vivo
Abstract
Zippering of SNARE complexes spanning docked membranes is essential for most intracellular fusion events. Here we explore how SNARE regulators operate on discrete zippering states. The formation of a metastable trans-complex, catalyzed by HOPS and its SM subunit Vps33, is followed by subsequent zippering transitions that increase the probability of fusion. Operating independently of Sec18 (NSF) catalysis, Sec17 (α-SNAP) either inhibits or stimulates SNARE-mediated fusion. If HOPS or Vps33 are absent, Sec17 inhibits fusion at an early stage. Thus, Vps33/HOPS promotes productive SNARE assembly in the presence of otherwise inhibitory Sec17. Once SNAREs are partially zipped, Sec17 promotes fusion in either the presence or absence of HOPS, but with faster kinetics when HOPS is absent, suggesting that ejection of the SM is a rate-limiting step.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM077349)
- Alexey J Merz
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32 GM07270)
- Matthew L Schwartz
- Braden T Lobingier
- Cortney G Angers
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM023377)
- Michael Zick
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Copyright
© 2017, Schwartz et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
Metrics
-
- 1,928
- views
-
- 397
- downloads
-
- 35
- citations
Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.