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Cell Biology International (2004) 28, 699–708 (Printed in Great Britain)

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Structure, isolation, composition and reconstitution of the neuronal fusion pore

Won Jin Cho^a1, Aleksandar Jeremic^a1, Kathy T. Rognlien^a, Mzia G. Zhvania^b, Ilia Lazrishvili^b, Bikashvili Tamar^b and Bhanu P. Jena^a*

^aDepartment of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 5245 Scott Hall, 540 E Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
^bSection of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Physiology, Georgian Academy of Sciences, Tbilisi 380060, Georgia

Abstract

Neuronal communication is dependent on the fusion of 40–50nm in diameter synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters, at the presynaptic membrane. Here we report for the first time at 5–8Å resolution, the presence of 8–10nm in diameter cup-shaped neuronal fusion pores or porosomes at the presynaptic membrane, where synaptic vesicles dock and fuse to release neurotransmitters. The structure, isolation, composition, and functional reconstitution of porosomes present at the nerve terminal are described. These findings reveal the molecular mechanism of neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic membrane of nerve terminals.

Key words: Fusion pore, Neuron, AFM, SNAREs, Reconstitution.

¹Won Jin Cho and Aleksandar Jeremic contributed equally to this work.

^*Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 313 577 1532; fax: +1 313 993 4177.

Received 8 July 2004/11 July 2004; accepted 15 July 2004