Abstract
Synaptophysin is a major integral membrane protein of presynaptic vesicles (Wiedenmann and Franke, 1985; Jahn et al., 1985). Elucidation of its primary structure by different groups in combination with biochemical work on its structural organization revealed a transmembrane topology and quarternary structure similar to that of gap junction proteins. This led to speculations that synaptophysin might form a channel which spans the synaptic vesicle membrane, a hypothesis which we have now confirmed by reconstitution experiments. The identification of a gap junction protein-like channel in presynaptic vesicles may prove crucial for our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release (Reichardt and Kelly, 1983).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Beyer EC, Paul DL, Goodenough DA (1987) Connexin43: a protein from rat heart homologous to a gap junction protein from liver. J. Cell Biol. 105: 2621–2629.
Breckenridge LJ, Aimers W. (1987) Currents through the fusion pore that forms during exocytosis of a secretory vesicle. Nature 328: 814–817.
Buckley KM, Floor E, Kelly RB (1987) Cloning and sequence analysis of cDNA encoding p38, a major synaptic vesicle protein. J. Cell Biol. 105: 2447–2456.
Jahn R, Schiebler W, Ouimet C, Greengard P (1985) A 38,000-dalton membrane protein (p38) present in synaptic vesicles. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82: 4137–4141.
Kumar NM, Gilula NB (1986) Cloning and characterization of human and rat liver cDNAs coding for a gap junction protein. J. Cell Biol. 103: 767–776.
Leube RE, Kaiser P, Seiter A, Zimbelmann R, Franke WW, Rehm H, Knaus P, Prior P, Betz H, Reinke H, Beyreuther K, Wiedenmann B (1987) Synaptophysin: molecular organization and mRNA expression as determined from cloned cDNA. EMBO J. 6: 3261–3268.
McCrea PD, Popot JL, Engelman DM (1987) Transmembrane topography of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor delta subunit. EMBO J. 6: 3619–3626.
Paul DL (1986) Molecular cloning of cDNA for rat liver gap junction protein. J. Cell Biol. 103: 123–134.
Rahamimoff R, DeRiemer SA, Sakmann B, Stadler H, Yakir N (1988) Ion channels in synaptic vesicles from Torpedo electric organ. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85: 5310–5314.
Rehm H, Wiedenmann B, Betz H. (1986) Molecular characterization of synaptophysin, a major calcium-binding protein of the synaptic vesicle membrane. EMBO J. 5: 535–541.
Reichardt LF, Kelly RB (1983) A molecular description of nerve terminal function. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 52: 871–926.
Südhof TC, Lottspeich F, Greengard P, Mehl E, Jahn R (1987) A synaptic vesicle protein with a novel cytoplasmic domain and four transmembrane regions. Science 238: 1142–1144.
Thomas L, Hartung K, Langosch D, Rehm H, Bamberg E, Franke WW, Betz H (1988) Identification of synaptophysin as a hexameric channel protein of the synaptic vesicle membrane. Science, in press.
Unwin N (1986) Is there a common design for cell membrane channels? Nature 323: 12–13.
Unwin PNT, Zampighi G (1980) Structure of the junction between communicating cells. Nature 283: 545–549.
Wiedenmann B, Franke WW (1985) Identification and localization of synaptophysin, an integral membrane glycoprotein of Mr 38,000 chracteristic of presynaptic vesicles. Cell 41: 1017–1028.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Thomas, L., Knaus, P., Betz, H. (1989). Comparison of the Presynaptic Vesicle Component Synaptophysin and Gap Junction Proteins: A Clue for Neurotransmitter Release?. In: Maelicke, A. (eds) Molecular Biology of Neuroreceptors and Ion Channels. NATO ASI Series, vol 32. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74155-5_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74155-5_24
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74157-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74155-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive