Protein-protein interactions involving Munc18 in regulated exocytosis

神经元、内分泌和许多其他细胞类型通过严格调节的递质和信号分子的释放以协调的方式彼此和与其他组织通信。递质被包装在小的脂质囊泡中，这些囊泡必须与细胞膜融合，以便仅在适当的时间和地点释放其内容物。在过去的十年里，细胞内允许这种情况发生的机器的大多数单独部分已经被发现，但我们对这个过程如何工作以及如何调节的理解仍然非常有限。据信，释放机制功能的变化有助于学习和记忆，并影响行为。我们的目标是详细调查的机器，Munc 18 -1，通过具体修改其结构的一个重要组成部分。这将使我们能够了解它与其他成分的相互作用如何有助于其在导致发射物释放的各个步骤中的功能。

Neurons, endocrine and many other cell types communicate with one another and other tissues in a co-ordinated manner by the tightly regulated release of transmitters and signalling molecules. Transmitters are packaged into small lipid vesicles which have to fuse with the cell membrane to release their contents only at the appropriate time and place. Most of the individual parts of the machinery inside the cell that allows this to occur have been discovered over the past ten years but we still have a very limited understanding of how the process works and how it is regulated. Changes in the functioning of the machinery for release are believed to contribute to learning and memory and affect behaviour. We aim to investigate in detail one essential component of the machinery, Munc18-1, by making specific modifications to its structure. This will allow us to learn how its interactions with other components contribute to its function in the various steps leading to transmitter release.