U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Energetics and Conformational Changes of SNARE-mediated Fusion

在这项为期两年的美法合作研究项目中，研究人员将解决与SNARE蛋白和细胞膜融合机制相关的问题。SNARE蛋白将被结合到脂质双层中或在细胞膜上表达。能量测量将使用几种纳米技术进行，这些技术允许在大分子组装之间进行力和能量测量。这些技术的结合将使研究人员能够解决：(1)膜融合中涉及的圈套复合体的数量；(2)力与时间的测量以及圈套-针形成的动力学描述；以及(3)与圈套-针形成相关的能量和膜融合所需的能量的评估。该项目涉及哥伦比亚大学的托马斯·梅利亚和法国巴黎诺曼高等学院物理统计实验室的研究人员。这些实验室拥有互补的专业知识和可用的设备。哥伦比亚研究小组专门研究SNARE蛋白及其在膜融合中的作用。法国在生物附着机制和纳米技术方面的专业知识补充了这一点，这些技术允许在生物膜之间进行力和能量测量。

In this two-year U.S.-France cooperative research project, the investigators will address questions related to SNARE proteins and membrane fusion mechanisms in cells. SNARE proteins will be incorporated into lipid bilayers or expressed on cell membranes. Energy measurements will be performed using several nano techniques that allow force and energy measurements between macromolecular assemblies. The combination of these techniques will allow the investigators to address: (1) the number of SNARE complexes involved in membrane fusions; (2) force versus time measurements and a kinetic description of SNARE-pin formation; and (3) evaluation of the energy associated to the SNARE-pin formation and the amount of energy necessary for membrane fusion. This project involves Thomas Melia at Columbia University and researchers at the Laboratoire de Physique Statistique at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, France. The laboratories have complementary expertise and available equipment. The Columbia group specializes in SNARE proteins and their role in membrane fusion. This is complemented by French expertise in biological adhesion mechanisms and nanotechniques that allow force and energy measurements between biomembranes.