Natural sugars are preferred over artificial sweeteners because of their nutritional content, which is sensed by MCH neurons in the lateral hypothalamus.

The molecular mechanisms by which midbrain dopamine neurons acquire the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA for synaptic release are revealed.

Parallel pathways of xylose metabolism identified in fungi that grow on plants can be used in yeast to promote hemicellulose conversion to biofuels.

Munc13 proteins are key determinants of large dense-core vesicle (LDCV)-dependent catecholamine release in chromaffin cells.

Structural flexibility of the synaptobrevin-2 transmembrane domain promotes membrane fusion.

Yeast cells can be engineered to study starch, the semi-crystalline storage carbohydrate from plants that is central to human nutrition.

A few SNARE complexes suffice to fuse membranes, but many more are needed to dilate the nascent fusion pore by molecular crowding for efficient neurotransmitter or hormone release during exocytosis.

Increasing PI(4,5)P2 on a sub-second timescale using a novel, membrane-permeant UV activatable PI(4,5)P2 molecule augments exocytosis which requires the PI(4,5)P2 interacting exocytotic proteins Munc13-2 and synaptotagmin-1.

Doc2B functions in two distinct vesicle priming steps; membrane localization occludes upstream Ca2+-dependent priming, whereas Ca2+-binding and interaction with synaptotagmin-1, SNAREs, and Munc13-2 are involved in downstream priming, which makes vesicles readily releasable.

Keratinocytes are critical for normal innocuous and noxious touch through their mechanically evoked ATP release and subsequent signaling to P2X4 channels on sensory neurons.