SNAREs can promote complete fusion and hemifusion as alternative outcomes

A scissors mechanism for stimulation of SNARE-mediated lipid mixing by cholesterol

Neurotransmitter release at the synapse requires membrane fusion. The SNARE complex, composed of the plasma membrane t-SNAREs syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25 and the vesicle v-SNARE synaptobrevin, mediates the fusion of 2 membranes. Synaptic vesicles contain unusually high cholesterol, but the exact role of cholesterol in fusion is not known. In this study, cholesterol was found to stimulate SNARE-mediated lipid mixing of proteoliposomes by a factor of 5 at a physiological concentration. Surprisingly, however, the stimulatory effect was more pronounced when cholesterol was on the v-SNARE side than when it was on the t-SNARE side. Site-directed spin labeling and both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed EPR revealed that cholesterol induces a conformational change of the v-SNARE transmembrane domain (TMD) from an open scissors-like dimer to a parallel dimer. When the TMD was forced to form a parallel dimer by the disulfide bond, the rate was stimulated 2.3-fold even without cholesterol, supporting the relevance of the open-to-closed conformational change to the fusion activity. The open scissors-like conformation may be unfavorable for fusion and cholesterol may relieve this inhibitory factor.

Alternative zippering as an on-off switch for SNARE-mediated fusion

Membrane fusion between vesicles and target membranes involves the zippering of a four-helix bundle generated by constituent helices derived from target- and vesicle-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). In neurons, the protein complexin clamps otherwise spontaneous fusion by SNARE proteins, allowing neurotransmitters and other mediators to be secreted when and where they are needed as this clamp is released. The membrane-proximal accessory helix of complexin is necessary for clamping, but its mechanism of action is unknown. Here, we present experiments using a reconstituted fusion system that suggest a simple model in which the complexin accessory helix forms an alternative four-helix bundle with the target-SNARE near the membrane, preventing the vesicle-SNARE from completing its zippering.

Sequence-specific conformational dynamics of model transmembrane domains determines their membrane fusogenic function

The transmembrane domains of fusion proteins are known to be functionally important and display an overabundance of helix-destabilizing Ile and Val residues. In an effort to systematically study the relationship of fusogenicity and helix stability, we previously designed LV peptides, a low-complexity model system whose hydrophobic core consists of Leu and Val residues at different ratios. The ability of LV peptides to fuse membranes increases with the content of helix-destabilizing residues. Here, we monitored the kinetics of amide deuterium/hydrogen exchange of LV-peptide helices to probe their conformational dynamics. The kinetics indeed increases strongly with the content of helix-destabilizing residues and is likely to reflect local fluctuations of the helix backbones as all peptides exhibit uncorrelated exchange and contain subpopulations of amide deuterium atoms that exchange with different velocities. Interestingly, helices whose amide deuterium atoms are shifted from slower to faster subpopulations are more fusogenic. Novel peptide variants in which Val residues are concentrated at peripheral or central domains of the hydrophobic core were designed to map functionally relevant helix subdomains. Their structural and functional analysis suggests that dynamic domains close to the helix termini are more relevant for fusogenicity than central domains but cooperate with the latter to achieve strong fusogenicity.

Mechanics of membrane fusion

Diverse membrane fusion reactions in biology involve close contact between two lipid bilayers, followed by the local distortion of the individual bilayers and reformation into a single, merged membrane. We consider the structures and energies of the fusion intermediates identified in experimental and theoretical work on protein-free lipid bilayers. On the basis of this analysis, we then discuss the conserved fusion-through-hemifusion pathway of merger between biological membranes and propose that the entire progression, from the close juxtaposition of membrane bilayers to the expansion of a fusion pore, is controlled by protein-generated membrane stresses.

Molecular form follows function: (un)snaring the SNAREs

Exocytotic release of transmitters is mediated by the ternary SNARE complex. The form of this complex is consistent with its function in the positioning of vesicles to the plasma membrane and their fusion to it. Recent advances in single-molecule techniques, however, bring an additional layer of complexity to this process, implicating that there might be various modes of operation. For example, the binary syntaxin-synaptobrevin 2 complex, in addition to the ternary complex containing SNAP25, might enable vesicular docking. Single-molecule techniques allow direct measurements of the distance/extension, rupture force, spontaneous dissociation times and interaction energy for SNARE protein-protein interactions. These measurements are complementary to results and conclusions drawn from other techniques. Consequently, single-molecule techniques promise tremendous opportunities for in vitro investigations of SNARE proteins to improve our understanding of their role in exocytosis.

Distinct domains of complexins bind SNARE complexes and clamp fusion in vitro

In regulated exocytosis, the core membrane fusion machinery proteins, the SNARE proteins, are assisted by a group of regulatory factors in order to couple membrane fusion to an increase of intracellular calcium ion (Ca(2+)) concentration. Complexin-I and synaptotagmin-I have been shown to be key elements for this tightly regulated process. Many studies suggest that complexin-I can arrest the fusion reaction and that synaptotagmin-I can release the complexin-I blockage in a calcium-dependent manner. Although the actual molecular mechanism by which they exert their function is still unknown, recent in vivo experiments postulate that domains of complexin-I produce different effects on neurotransmitter release. Herein, by using an in vitro flipped SNARE cell fusion assay, we have identified and characterized the minimal functional domains of complexin-I necessary to couple calcium and synaptotagmin-I to membrane fusion. Moreover, we provide evidence that other isoforms of complexin, complexin-II, -III, and -IV, can also be functionally coupled to synaptotagmin-I and calcium. These correspond closely to results from in vivo experiments, providing further validation of the physiological relevance of the flipped SNARE system.

The fusion pores of Ca2+ -triggered exocytosis

The aqueous compartment inside a vesicle makes its first connection with the extracellular fluid through an intermediate structure termed the exocytotic fusion pore. Progress in exocytosis can be measured in terms of the formation and growth of the fusion pore. The fusion pore has become a major focus of research in exocytosis; sensitive biophysical measurements have provided various glimpses of what it looks like and how it behaves. Some of the principal questions about the molecular mechanism of exocytosis can be cast explicitly in terms of properties and transitions of fusion pores. This Review will present current knowledge about fusion pores in Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis, highlight recent advances and relate questions about fusion pores to broader issues concerning how cells regulate exocytosis and how nerve terminals release neurotransmitter.

Supramolecular SNARE assembly precedes hemifusion in SNARE-mediated membrane fusion

Formation of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex facilitates intracellular membrane fusion. A single SNARE complex is thought to be insufficient; multiple copies of SNARE complexes must work cooperatively. However, the mechanism by which such a higher-order SNARE protein structure is assembled is unknown. EPR and fluorescence analyses show that at least three copies of target-membrane SNARE proteins self-assemble through the interaction between the transmembrane domains (TMDs), and this multimeric structure serves as scaffolding for trans-SNARE assembly. SNARE core formation in solution induces oligomerization of the TMDs of vesicle-associated SNAREs in the apposing membrane, transiently forming a supramolecular protein structure spanning two membranes. This higher-order protein intermediate evolves, by involving lipid molecules, to the hemifusion state. Hemifusion is subsequently followed by distal leaflet mixing and formation of the cis-SNARE complex.

Sequence-specific conformational flexibility of SNARE transmembrane helices probed by hydrogen/deuterium exchange

SNARE proteins mediate fusion of intracellular eukaryotic membranes and their alpha-helical transmembrane domains are known to contribute to lipid bilayer mixing. Synthetic transmembrane domain peptides were previously shown to mimic the function of SNARE proteins in that they trigger liposome fusion in a sequence-specific fashion. Here, we performed a detailed investigation of the conformational dynamics of the transmembrane helices of the presynaptic SNAREs synaptobrevin II and syntaxin 1a. To this end, we recorded deuterium/hydrogen-exchange kinetics in isotropic solution as well as in the membrane-embedded state. In solution, the exchange kinetics of each peptide can be described by three different classes of amide deuteriums that exchange with different rate constants. These are likely to originate from exchange at different domains of the helices. Interestingly, the rate constants of each class vary with the TMD sequence. Thus, the exchange rate is position-specific and sequence-specific. Further, the rate constants correlate with the previously determined membrane fusogenicities. In membranes, exchange is retarded and a significant proportion of amide hydrogens are protected from exchange. We conclude that the conformational dynamics of SNARE TMD helices is mechanistically linked to their ability to drive lipid mixing.

Quantitative assays for cell fusion

Cell fusion would seem to be obviously recognizable upon visual inspection, and many studies employ a simple microscopic fusion index to quantify the rate and extent of fusion in cell culture. However, when cells are not in monolayers or when there is a large background of multinucleation through failed cytokinesis, cell-cell fusion can only be proven by mixing of cell contents. Furthermore, determination of the microscopic fusion index must generally be carried out manually, creating opportunities for unintended observer bias and limiting the numbers of cells assayed and therefore the statistical power of the assay. Strategies for making assays dependent on fusion and independent of visual observation are critical to increasing the accuracy and throughput of screens for molecules that control cell fusion. A variety of in vitro biochemical and nonbiochemical techniques have been developed to assay and monitor fusion events in cultured cells. In this chapter, we briefly discuss several in vitro fusion assays, nearly all based on systems of two components that interact to create a novel assayable signal only after cells fuse. We provide details for the use of one example of such a system, intracistronic complementation of beta-galactosidase activity by mutants of Escherichia coli lacZ, which allows for either cell-by-cell microscopic assay of cell fusion or quantitative and kinetic detection of cell fusions in whole populations. In addition, we describe a combination of gene knock-down protocols with this assay to study factors required for myoblast fusion.

Presynaptic neurotoxins with enzymatic activities

Toxins that alter neurotransmitter release from nerve terminals are of considerable scientific and clinical importance. Many advances were recently made in the understanding of their molecular mechanisms of action and use in human therapy. Here, we focus on presynaptic neurotoxins, which are very potent inhibitors of the neurotransmitter release because they are endowed with specific enzymatic activities: (1) clostridial neurotoxins with a metallo-proteolytic activity and (2) snake presynaptic neurotoxins with a phospholipase A2 activity.

Viral and developmental cell fusion mechanisms: conservation and divergence

Membrane fusion is a fundamental requirement in numerous developmental, physiological, and pathological processes in eukaryotes. So far, only a limited number of viral and cellular fusogens, proteins that fuse membranes, have been isolated and characterized. Despite the diversity in structures and functions of known fusogens, some common principles of action apply to all fusion reactions. These can serve as guidelines in the search for new fusogens, and may allow the formulation of a cross-species, unified theory to explain divergent and convergent evolutionary principles of membrane fusion.

Sec18p and Vam7p remodel trans-SNARE complexes to permit a lipid-anchored R-SNARE to support yeast vacuole fusion

Intracellular membrane fusion requires SNARE proteins in a trans-complex, anchored to apposed membranes. Proteoliposome studies have suggested that SNAREs drive fusion by stressing the lipid bilayer via their transmembrane domains (TMDs), and that SNARE complexes require a TMD in each docked membrane to promote fusion. Yeast vacuole fusion is believed to require three Q-SNAREs from one vacuole and the R-SNARE Nyv1p from its fusion partner. In accord with this model, we find that fusion is abolished when the TMD of Nyv1p is replaced by lipid anchors, even though lipid-anchored Nyv1p assembles into trans-SNARE complexes. However, normal fusion is restored by the addition of both Sec18p and the soluble SNARE Vam7p. In restoring fusion, Sec18p promotes the disassembly of trans-SNARE complexes, and Vam7p enhances their assembly. Thus, either the TMD of this R-SNARE is not essential for fusion, and TMD-mediated membrane stress is not the only mode of trans-SNARE complex action, or these SNAREs have more flexibility than heretofore appreciated to form alternate functional complexes that violate the 3Q:1R rule.

Paleontological evidence for membrane fusion between a unit membrane and a half-unit membrane

Membrane fusion is of fundamental importance for many biological processes and has been a topic of intensive research in past decades with several models being proposed for it. Fossils had previously not been considered relevant to studies on membrane fusion. But here two different membrane fusion patterns are reported in the same well-preserved fossil plant from the Miocene (15-20 million years old) at Clarkia, Idaho, US. Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and traditional studies reveal the vesicles in various states (even transient semi-fusion) of membrane fusion, and thus shed new light on their membrane structure and fusion during exocytoses. The new evidence suggests that vesicles in plant cells may have not only a unit membrane but also a half-unit membrane, and that a previously overlooked membrane fusion pattern exists in plant cells. This unexpected result from an unexpected material not only marks the first evidence of on-going physiological activities in fossil plants, but also raises questions on membrane fusion in recent plants.

Productive hemifusion intermediates in fast vesicle fusion driven by neuronal SNAREs

An in vitro fusion assay uses fluorescence microscopy of labeled lipids to monitor single v-SNARE vesicle docking and fusion events on a planar lipid bilayer containing t-SNAREs. For vesicles and bilayer comprising phosphatidylcholine (POPC, 84-85% by mol) and phosphatidylserine (DOPS, 15% by mol), previous work demonstrated prompt, full fusion (tau(fus) = 25 ms). Substitution of 20-60% phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) for phosphatidylcholine in the v-SNARE vesicle with either 0 or 20% DOPE included in the t-SNARE bilayer gives rise to hemifusion events. Labeled lipids diffuse into the planar bilayer as two temporally distinct waves, presumably hemifusion of the outer leaflet followed by inner leaflet (core) fusion. The fusion kinetics with DOPE is markedly heterogeneous. Some vesicle/docking site pairs exhibit prompt, full fusion while others exhibit hemifusion. Hemifusion events are roughly half productive (leading to subsequent core fusion within 20 s) and half dead-end. In qualitative accord with expectations from studies of protein-free vesicle-vesicle fusion, the hemifusion rate k(hemi) is 15-20 times faster than the core fusion rate k(core), and the fraction of hemifusion events increases with increasing percentage of DOPE. This suggests similar underlying molecular pathways for protein-free and neuronal SNARE-driven fusion. Removal of phosphatidylserine from the v-SNARE vesicle has no effect on docking or fusion.

Control of membrane fusion mechanism by lipid composition: predictions from ensemble molecular dynamics

Membrane fusion is critical to biological processes such as viral infection, endocrine hormone secretion, and neurotransmission, yet the precise mechanistic details of the fusion process remain unknown. Current experimental and computational model systems approximate the complex physiological membrane environment for fusion using one or a few protein and lipid species. Here, we report results of a computational model system for fusion in which the ratio of lipid components was systematically varied, using thousands of simulations of up to a microsecond in length to predict the effects of lipid composition on both fusion kinetics and mechanism. In our simulations, increased phosphatidylcholine content in vesicles causes increased activation energies for formation of the initial stalk-like intermediate for fusion and of hemifusion intermediates, in accordance with previous continuum-mechanics theoretical treatments. We also use our large simulation dataset to quantitatively compare the mechanism by which vesicles fuse at different lipid compositions, showing a significant difference in fusion kinetics and mechanism at different compositions simulated. As physiological membranes have different compositions in the inner and outer leaflets, we examine the effect of such asymmetry, as well as the effect of membrane curvature on fusion. These predicted effects of lipid composition on fusion mechanism both underscore the way in which experimental model system construction may affect the observed mechanism of fusion and illustrate a potential mechanism for cellular regulation of the fusion process by altering membrane composition.

Membrane fusion is the transport process used for neurotransmitter release, insulin secretion, and infection by enveloped viruses. The precise mechanism of fusion is not yet understood, nor is the means by which membrane properties such as composition and curvature affect the fusion process. Here, we use molecular-dynamics simulations of lipid vesicle fusion under different lipid compositions to generate a more detailed explanation for how composition controls membrane fusion. We predict that lipid composition affects both the initial process of forming a contact “stalk” between two vesicles and the formation of a metastable “hemifused” intermediate. These two roles act in concert to change both the rate of fusion and the level of detectable fusion intermediates. We also present initial results on fusion of vesicles at different membrane curvatures. Recent experimental results suggest that the creation of highly curved membranes is important to fusion of synaptic vesicles. Our simulations cover a curvature regime similar to these experimental systems. In combination with previous results, we predict that the effect of lipid composition on fusion is general across different membrane curvatures, but that the rate of fusion is controlled by both composition and curvature.

In vitro fusion catalyzed by the sporulation-specific t-SNARE light-chain Spo20p is stimulated by phosphatidic acid

Sec9p and Spo20p are two SNAP25 family SNARE proteins specialized for different developmental stages in yeast. Sec9p interacts with Sso1/2p and Snc1/2p to mediate intracellular trafficking between post-Golgi vesicles and the plasma membrane during vegetative growth. Spo20p replaces Sec9p in the generation of prospore membranes during sporulation. The function of Spo20p requires enzymatically active Spo14p, which is a phosphatidylcholine (PC)-specific phospholipase D that hydrolyzes PC to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). Phosphatidic acid is required to localize Spo20p properly during sporulation; however, it seems to have additional roles that are not fully understood. Here we compared the fusion mediated by all combinations of the Sec9p or Spo20p C-terminal domains with Sso1p/Sso2p and Snc1p/Snc2p. Our results show that Spo20p forms a less efficient SNARE complex than Sec9p. The combination of Sso2p/Spo20c is the least fusogenic t-SNARE complex. Incorporation of PA in the lipid bilayer stimulates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion by all t-SNARE complexes, likely by decreasing the energetic barrier during membrane merger. This effect may allow the weak SNARE complex containing Spo20p to function during sporulation. In addition, PA can directly interact with the juxtamembrane region of Sso1p, which contributes to the stimulatory effects of PA on membrane fusion. Our results suggest that the fusion strength of SNAREs, the composition of organelle lipids and lipid-SNARE interactions may be coordinately regulated to control the rate and specificity of membrane fusion.

Assays of vacuole fusion resolve the stages of docking, lipid mixing, and content mixing

Membrane fusion entails organelle docking and subsequent mixing of membrane bilayers and luminal compartments. We now present an in vitro assay of fusion, using yeast vacuoles bearing domains of either Fos or Jun fused to complementary halves of beta-lactamase. Upon fusion, these proteins associate to yield beta-lactamase activity. This assay complements the standard fusion assay (activation of pro-Pho8p in protease-deficient vacuoles by proteases from pho8Delta vacuoles). Both the beta-lactamase and pro-Pho8p activation assays of fusion show the same long kinetic delay between SNARE pairing and luminal compartment mixing. Lipid-mixing occurs rapidly after SNARE pairing but well before aqueous compartment mixing. These results support a model in which SNARE pairing leads to rapid hemifusion, followed by slow further lipid rearrangement and aqueous compartment mixing.

Phospholipase D1 Production of Phosphatidic Acid at the Plasma Membrane Promotes Exocytosis of Large Dense-core Granules at a Late Stage

Substantial efforts have recently been made to demonstrate the importance of lipids and lipid-modifying enzymes in various membrane trafficking processes, including calcium-regulated exocytosis of hormones and neurotransmitters. Among bioactive lipids, phosphatidic acid (PA) is an attractive candidate to promote membrane fusion through its ability to change membrane topology. To date, however, the biosynthetic pathway, the dynamic location, and actual function of PA in secretory cells remain unknown. Using a short interference RNA strategy on chromaffin and PC12 cells, we demonstrate here that phospholipase D1 is activated in secretagogue-stimulated cells and that it produces PA at the plasma membrane at the secretory granule docking sites. We show that phospholipase D1 activation and PA production represent key events in the exocytotic progression. Membrane capacitance measurements indicate that reduction of endogenous PA impairs the formation of fusion-competent granules. Finally, we show that the PLD1 short interference RNA-mediated inhibition of exocytosis can be rescued by exogenous provision of a lipid that favors the transition of opposed bi-layer membranes to hemifused membranes having the outer leaflets fused. Our findings demonstrate that PA synthesis is required during exocytosis to facilitate a late event in the granule fusion pathway. We propose that the underlying mechanism is related to the ability of PA to alter membrane curvature and promote hemi-fusion.

Persistent voids: a new structural metric for membrane fusion

MOTIVATION

Membrane fusion constitutes a key stage in cellular processes such as synaptic neurotransmission and infection by enveloped viruses. Current experimental assays for fusion have thus far been unable to resolve early fusion events in fine structural detail. We have previously used molecular dynamics simulations to develop mechanistic models of fusion by small lipid vesicles. Here, we introduce a novel structural measurement of vesicle topology and fusion geometry: persistent voids.

RESULTS

Persistent voids calculations enable systematic measurement of structural changes in vesicle fusion by assessing fusion stalk widths. They also constitute a generally applicable technique for assessing lipid topological change. We use persistent voids to compute dynamic relationships between hemifusion neck widening and formation of a full fusion pore in our simulation data. We predict that a tightly coordinated process of hemifusion neck expansion and pore formation is responsible for the rapid vesicle fusion mechanism, while isolated enlargement of the hemifusion diaphragm leads to the formation of a metastable hemifused intermediate. These findings suggest that rapid fusion between small vesicles proceeds via a small hemifusion diaphragm rather than a fully expanded one.

AVAILABILITY

Software available upon request pending public release.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available on Bioinformatics online.

Calcium Influx and Mitochondrial Alterations at Synapses Exposed to Snake Neurotoxins or Their Phospholipid Hydrolysis Products

Snake presynaptic phospholipase A2 neurotoxins (SPANs) bind to the presynaptic membrane and hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine with generation of lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) and fatty acid (FA). The LysoPC+FA mixture promotes membrane fusion, inducing the exocytosis of the ready-to-release synaptic vesicles. However, also the reserve pool of synaptic vesicles disappears from nerve terminals intoxicated with SPAN or LysoPC+FA. Here, we show that LysoPC+FA and SPANs cause a large influx of extracellular calcium into swollen nerve terminals, which accounts for the extensive synaptic vesicle release. This is paralleled by the change of morphology and the collapse of membrane potential of mitochondria within nerve bulges. These results complete the picture of events occurring at nerve terminals intoxicated by SPANs and define the LysoPC+FA lipid mixture as a novel and effective agonist of synaptic vesicle release.

pH-Activated fusogenic transmembrane LV-peptides

LV-peptides mimic the in vitro fusogenicity of synthetic fusion protein transmembrane domains. The original versions of these peptides consist of a variable hydrophobic core (containing leucine and/or valine residues (LV)) that is flanked by invariant lysine triplets at both termini. Previously, peptide fusogenicity was correlated with the structural plasticity of their hydrophobic cores. Here, we examined the functional importance of positively charged flanking residues. To this end, we determined the fusogenicities of peptide variants that contain terminal His and/or Lys triplets. Interestingly, liposome fusion by peptides with His triplets was triggered by acidic pH. The pH dependence of fusion is reflected by a sigmoidal titration curve whose midpoint is close to the pKa value of histidine. Thus, only peptides with positively charged residues at both termini are fusogenic. The previously established dependence of fusogenicity on the sequence of the hydrophobic peptide core of Lys-flanked LV-peptides was preserved with the His-flanked versions at low pH. We propose that the structural flexibility of the core region as well as positive terminal charges are required for LV-peptide function in lipid mixing. In a potential practical application, the pH-dependent LV-peptides might prove to be useful in the lipofection of eukaryotic cells.

Putting the clamps on membrane fusion: How complexin sets the stage for calcium-mediated exocytosis

Three recent papers have addressed a long-standing question in exocytosis: how does a sudden calcium influx trigger a coordinated synchronous release in regulated exocytosis [Giraudo, C.G., Eng, W.S., Melia, T.J. and Rothman, J.E. (2006) A clamping mechanism involved in SNARE-dependent exocytosis. Science 313, 676-680; Schaub, J.R., Lu, X., Doneske, B., Shin, Y.K. and McNew, J.A. (2006) Hemifusion arrest by complexin is relieved by Ca(2+)-synaptotagmin I. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 13, 748-750; Tang, J., Maximov, A., Shin, O.H., Dai, H., Rizo, J. and Sudhof, T.C. (2006) A complexin/synaptotagmin 1 switch controls fast synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Cell 126, 1175-1187]? Using diverse approaches that include cell-free reconstitution of the membrane fusion machinery and in vivo manipulation of fusogenic proteins, these groups have established that the complexin proteins are fusion clamps. By arresting vesicle secretion just prior to fusion, complexin primes select vesicles for a fast, synchronous response to calcium.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 mediates fusion through a hemifusion intermediate by sequential activity of glycoproteins D, H, L, and B

Virus-induced membrane fusion can be subdivided into three phases defined by studies of class I and class II fusion proteins. During Phase I, two membranes are brought into close apposition. Phase II marks the mixing of the outer membrane leaflets leading to formation of a hemifusion intermediate. A fusion pore stably forms and expands in Phase III, thereby completing the fusion process. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) requires four glycoproteins to complete membrane fusion, but none has been defined as class I or II. Therefore, we investigated whether HSV-1-induced membrane fusion occurred following the same general phases as those described for class I and II proteins. In this study we demonstrate that glycoprotein D (gD) and the glycoprotein H and glycoprotein L complex (gHL) mediated lipid mixing indicative of hemifusion. However, content mixing and full fusion required glycoprotein B (gB) to be present along with gD and gHL. Our results indicate that, like class I and II fusion proteins, fusion mediated by HSV-1 glycoproteins occurred through a hemifusion intermediate. In addition, both gB and gHL are probably directly involved in the fusion process. From this, we propose a sequential model for fusion via HSV-1 glycoproteins whereby gD is required for Phase I, gHL is required for Phase II, and gB is required for Phase III. We further propose that glycoprotein H and gB are likely to function sequentially to promote membrane fusion in other herpesviruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus 8.

Evidence of cholesterol accumulated in high curvature regions: implication to the curvature elastic energy for lipid mixtures

Recent experiments suggested that cholesterol and other lipid components of high negative spontaneous curvature facilitate membrane fusion. This is taken as evidence supporting the stalk-pore model of membrane fusion in which the lipid bilayers go through intermediate structures of high curvature. How do the high-curvature lipid components lower the free energy of the curved structure? Do the high-curvature lipid components modify the average spontaneous curvature of the relevant monolayer, thereby facilitate its bending, or do the lipid components redistribute in the curved structure so as to lower the free energy? This question is fundamental to the curvature elastic energy for lipid mixtures. Here we investigate the lipid distribution in a monolayer of a binary lipid mixture before and after bending, or more precisely in the lamellar, hexagonal, and distorted hexagonal phases. The lipid mixture is composed of 2:1 ratio of brominated di18:0PC and cholesterol. Using a newly developed procedure for the multiwavelength anomalous diffraction method, we are able to isolate the bromine distribution and reconstruct the electron density distribution of the lipid mixture in the three phases. We found that the lipid distribution is homogenous and uniform in the lamellar and hexagonal phases. But in the distorted hexagonal phase, the lipid monolayer has nonuniform curvature, and cholesterol almost entirely concentrates in the high curvature region. This finding demonstrates that the association energies between lipid molecules vary with the curvature of membrane. Thus, lipid components in a mixture may redistribute under conditions of nonuniform curvature, such as in the stalk structure. In such cases, the spontaneous curvature depends on the local lipid composition and the free energy minimum is determined by lipid distribution as well as curvature.

SNAREing immunity: the role of SNAREs in the immune system

The trafficking of molecules and membranes within cells is a prerequisite for all aspects of cellular immune functions, including the delivery and recycling of cell-surface proteins, secretion of immune mediators, ingestion of pathogens and activation of lymphocytes. SNARE (soluble-N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor accessory-protein receptor)-family members mediate membrane fusion during all steps of trafficking, and function in almost all aspects of innate and adaptive immune responses. Here, we provide an overview of the roles of SNAREs in immune cells, offering insight into one level at which precision and tight regulation are instilled on immune responses.

Transmembrane proteins are not required for early stages of nuclear envelope assembly

All identified membrane fusion proteins are transmembrane proteins. In the present study, we explored the post-mitotic reassembly of the NE (nuclear envelope). The proteins that drive membrane rearrangements in NE assembly remain unknown. To determine whether transmembrane proteins are prerequisite components of this fusion machinery, we have focused on nuclear reconstitution in a cell-free system. Mixing of soluble interphase cytosolic extract and MV (membrane vesicles) from amphibian eggs with chromatin results in the formation of functional nuclei. We replaced MV and cytosol with protein-free phosphatidylcholine LS (liposomes) that were pre-incubated with interphase cytosol. While later stages of NE assembly yielding functional nucleus did not proceed without integral proteins of MV, LS-associated cytosolic proteins were sufficient to reconstitute membrane targeting to the chromatin and GTP-dependent lipid mixing. Binding involved LS-associated A-type lamin, and fusion involved Ran GTPase. Thus in contrast with post-fusion stages, fusion initiation in NE assembly, like membrane remodelling in budding and fission, does not require transmembrane proteins.

Multiple intermediates in SNARE-induced membrane fusion

Membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells is thought to be mediated by a highly conserved family of proteins called SNAREs (soluble N-ethyl maleimide sensitive-factor attachment protein receptors). The vesicle-associated v-SNARE engages with its partner t-SNAREs on the target membrane to form a coiled coil that bridges two membranes and facilitates fusion. As demonstrated by recent findings on the hemifusion state, identifying intermediates of membrane fusion can help unveil the underlying fusion mechanism. Observation of SNARE-driven fusion at the single-liposome level has the potential to dissect and characterize fusion intermediates most directly. Here, we report on the real-time observation of lipid-mixing dynamics in a single fusion event between a pair of SNARE-reconstituted liposomes. The assay reveals multiple intermediate states characterized by discrete values of FRET between membrane-bound fluorophores. Hemifusion, flickering of fusion pores, and kinetic transitions between intermediates, which would be very difficult to detect in ensemble assays, are now identified. The ability to monitor the time course of fusion events between two proteoliposomes should be useful for addressing many important issues in SNARE-mediated membrane fusion.

Self-interaction of a SNARE Transmembrane Domain Promotes the Hemifusion-to-fusion Transition

SNARE proteins mediate intracellular fusion of eukaryotic membranes. Some SNAREs have previously been shown to dimerise via interaction of their transmembrane domains. However, the functional significance of these interactions had remained unclear. Here, we show that mutating alternate faces of the transmembrane helix of the yeast vacuolar Q-SNARE Vam3p reduces the ability of the full-length protein to induce contents mixing in yeast vacuole fusion to different extents. Examination of liposome fusion induced by synthetic transmembrane domains revealed that inner leaflet mixing is delayed relative to outer leaflet mixing, suggesting that fusion transits through a hemifusion intermediate. Interestingly, one of the mutations impaired inner leaflet mixing in the liposome system. This suggests that the defect seen in vacuolar contents mixing is due to partial arrest of the reaction at hemifusion. Since covalent dimerisation of this mutant recovered wild-type behaviour, homodimerisation of a SNARE transmembrane domain appears to control the transition of a hemifusion intermediate to complete lipid mixing.

The potential of cell fusion for human therapy

As donor organs and tissues for transplantation medicine are scarce, alternative methods for replacing damaged cells or restoring organ function are highly needed. Here, we consider the therapeutic potential of cell fusion. After highlighting the various contexts in which cells are known to fuse during mammalian development, we discuss the implications of the observation that cell fusion can occur with restorative effects following tissue damage or cell transplantation. There are still, however, many challenges facing those who wish to implement cell fusion as a therapeutic tool. These include identifying the best cells to use for reparative fusion, determining the best route of introducing these cells into the desired tissue, discovering methods to increase the incidence of cell fusion, and ensuring the functionality of the resulting fusion products. If these difficulties can be overcome, cell fusion might have therapeutic potential as highlighted by several recent transplantation studies.

Membranes of the world unite!

Despite diverse origins, cellular fusion mechanisms converge at a pathway of phospholipid bilayer fusion. In this mini-review, we discuss how proteins can mediate each of the three major stages in the fusion pathway: contact, hemifusion, and the opening of an expanding fusion pore.

Conical electron tomography of a chemical synapse: vesicles docked to the active zone are hemi-fused

We have used thin sectioning and conical electron tomography to determine the three-dimensional structure of synaptic vesicles that were associated (docked) at release sites of the presynaptic membrane, called active-zones. Vesicles docked at the active zone occupied a strategic location: they formed regions of contact with the plasma membrane on one side and with that of one or more vesicles located deeper within the presynaptic terminal on the other side. The region of contact with the active zone measured approximately 15 nm in diameter ( approximately 2% of the vesicle's surface) and contained a smaller approximately 6 nm region where the proximal leaflets merged (hemi-fused). Hemi-fusion was only observed on the side of vesicles in contact with the active zone; at the side of contact between neighboring vesicles, the membranes were not hemi-fused. Approximately three-fourths of the docked vesicles contained hemi-fused regions. Vesicles fully fused to the active zone (exhibiting pores that appeared as interruptions of a single membrane) were less frequently observed ( approximately 1 of 10 hemi-fused vesicles). In conclusion, our observations in cortical synapses strengthen the hypothesis that hemi-fusion is a stable intermediary that precedes full fusion and release.

PEG as a tool to gain insight into membrane fusion

Thirty years ago, Klaus Arnold and others showed that the action of PEG in promoting cell-cell fusion was not due to such effects as surface absorption, cross-linking, solubilization, etc. Instead PEG acted simply by volume exclusion, resulting in an osmotic force driving membranes into close contact in a dehydrated region. This simple observation, based on a number of physical measurements and the use of PEG-based detergents that insert into membranes, spawned several important areas of research. One such area is the use of PEG to bring membranes into contact so that the role of different lipids and fusion proteins in membrane fusion can be examined in detail. We have summarized here insights into the fusion mechanism that have been obtained by this approach. This evidence indicates that fusion of model membranes (and probably cell membranes) occurs via severely bent lipidic structures formed at the point of sufficiently close contact between membranes of appropriate lipid composition. This line of research has also suggested that fusion proteins seem to catalyze fusion in part by reducing the free energy of hydrophobic interstices inherent to the lipidic fusion intermediate structures.

Asymmetric phospholipid distribution drives in vitro reconstituted SNARE-dependent membrane fusion

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake requires the fusion of GLUT4 transporter-containing vesicles with the plasma membrane, a process that depends on the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor attachment receptor) proteins VAMP2 (vesicle-associated membrane protein 2) and syntaxin 4 (Stx4)/SNAP23 (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor attachment protein 23). Efficient SNARE-dependent fusion has been shown in many settings in vivo to require the generation of both phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidic acid (PA). Addition of PA to Stx4/SNAP23 vesicles markedly enhanced the fusion rate, whereas its addition to VAMP2 vesicles was inhibitory. In contrast, addition of PIP2 to Stx4/SNAP23 vesicles inhibited the fusion reaction, and its addition to VAMP2 vesicles was stimulatory. The optimal distribution of phospholipids was found to trigger the progression from the hemifused state to full fusion. These findings reveal an unanticipated dependence of SNARE complex-mediated fusion on asymmetrically distributed acidic phospholipids and provide mechanistic insights into the roles of phospholipase D and PIP kinases in the late stages of regulated exocytosis.

Bem1p Is a Positive Regulator of the Homotypic Fusion of Yeast Vacuoles

Docked vacuoles are believed to undergo rapid lipid mixing during hemifusion and then a slow, rate-limiting completion of fusion and mixing of lumenal contents. Previous genomic analysis has suggested that Bem1p, a scaffold protein critical for cell polarity, may support vacuole fusion. We now report that bem1Delta strains have fragmented vacuoles (vps class B and C). During in vitro fusion reactions, vacuoles from bem1Delta strains showed a strong reduction in the rate of lipid mixing when compared with vacuoles from the BEM1 parent. The reduction in the overall rate of fusion with bem1Delta vacuoles was modest, consistent with lipid mixing as a non-rate-limiting step in the pathway. Although the fusion of either BEM1 (wild-type) or bem1Delta vacuoles is stimulated by recombinant Bem1p, the lipid mixing of docked bem1Delta vacuoles is highly dependent on rBem1p under certain reaction conditions. Bem1p-stimulated lipid mixing is blocked by well characterized fusion inhibitors including lipid ligands and antibodies to Ypt7p, Vps33p, and Vam3p. Although full-length Bem1p is required for maximal stimulation, a truncation mutant comprising the SH3 domains and the Phox homology (PX) domain retains modest stimulatory activity. In contrast to an earlier report (Han, B. K., Bogomolnaya, L. M., Totten, J. M., Blank, H. M., Dangott, L. J., and Polymenis, M. (2005) Genes Dev. 19, 2606-2618), we did not find phosphorylation of Bem1p at Ser-72 to be required for Bem1p-stimulated fusion. Taken together, Bem1p is a positive regulator of lipid mixing during vacuole hemifusion and fusion.

SNAREs — engines for membrane fusion

Since the discovery of SNARE proteins in the late 1980s, SNAREs have been recognized as key components of protein complexes that drive membrane fusion. Despite considerable sequence divergence among SNARE proteins, their mechanism seems to be conserved and is adaptable for fusion reactions as diverse as those involved in cell growth, membrane repair, cytokinesis and synaptic transmission. A fascinating picture of these robust nanomachines is emerging.

Ensemble molecular dynamics yields submillisecond kinetics and intermediates of membrane fusion

Lipid membrane fusion is critical to cellular transport and signaling processes such as constitutive secretion, neurotransmitter release, and infection by enveloped viruses. Here, we introduce a powerful computational methodology for simulating membrane fusion from a starting configuration designed to approximate activated prefusion assemblies from neuronal and viral fusion, producing results on a time scale and degree of mechanistic detail not previously possible to our knowledge. We use an approach to the long time scale simulation of fusion by constructing a Markovian state model with large-scale distributed computing, yielding an understanding of fusion mechanisms on time scales previously impossible to simulate to our knowledge. Our simulation data suggest a branched pathway for fusion, in which a common stalk-like intermediate can either rapidly form a fusion pore or remain in a metastable hemifused state that slowly forms fully fused vesicles. This branched reaction pathway provides a mechanistic explanation both for the biphasic fusion kinetics and the stable hemifused intermediates previously observed experimentally. Our distributed computing and Markovian state model approaches provide sufficient sampling to detect rare transitions, a systematic process for analyzing reaction pathways, and the ability to develop quantitative approximations of reaction kinetics for fusion.

Hemifusion arrest by complexin is relieved by Ca2+-synaptotagmin I

Synaptic transmission relies on an exquisitely orchestrated series of protein-protein interactions. Here we show that fusion driven by neuronal SNAREs is inhibited by the regulatory protein complexin. Furthermore, inner-leaflet mixing is strongly impaired relative to total lipid mixing, indicating that inhibition by complexin arrests fusion at hemifusion. When the calcium sensor synaptotagmin is added in the presence of calcium, inhibition by complexin is relieved and full fusion rapidly proceeds.

A clamping mechanism involved in SNARE-dependent exocytosis

During neurotransmitter release at the synapse, influx of calcium ions stimulates the release of neurotransmitter. However, the mechanism by which synaptic vesicle fusion is coupled to calcium has been unclear, despite the identification of both the core fusion machinery [soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)] and the principal calcium sensor (synaptotagmin). Here, we describe what may represent a basic principle of the coupling mechanism: a reversible clamping protein (complexin) that can freeze the SNAREpin, an assembled fusion-competent intermediate en route to fusion. When calcium binds to the calcium sensor synaptotagmin, the clamp would then be released. SNARE proteins, and key regulators like synaptotagmin and complexin, can be ectopically expressed on the cell surface. Cells expressing such "flipped" synaptic SNAREs fuse constitutively, but when we coexpressed complexin, fusion was blocked. Adding back calcium triggered fusion from this intermediate in the presence of synaptotagmin.

Chain packing in the inverted hexagonal phase of phospholipids: a study by X-ray anomalous diffraction on bromine-labeled chains

Although lipid phases are routinely studied by X-ray diffraction, construction of their unit cell structures from the diffraction data is difficult except for the lamellar phases. This is due to the well-known phase problem of X-ray diffraction. Here we successfully applied the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method to solve the phase problem for an inverted hexagonal phase of a phospholipid with brominated chains. Although the principle of the MAD method for all systems is the same, we found that for lipid structures it is necessary to use a procedure of analysis significantly different from that used for protein crystals. The inverted hexagonal phase has been used to study the chain packing in a hydrophobic interstice where three monolayers meet. Hydrophobic interstices are of great interest, because they occur in the intermediate states of membrane fusion. It is generally believed that chain packing in such a region is energy costly. Consequently, it has been speculated that the inverted lipid tube is likely to deviate from a circular shape, and the chain density distribution might be nonuniform. The bromine distribution obtained from the MAD analysis provides the information for the chain packing in the hexagonal unit cell. The intensity of the bromine distribution is undulated around the unit cell. The analysis shows that the lipid chains pack the hexagonal unit cell at constant volume per chain, with no detectable effect from a high-energy interstitial region.

Role of the Vam3p Transmembrane Segment in Homodimerization and SNARE Complex Formation

Intracellular membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells is mediated by SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor) proteins and is known to involve assembly of cognate subunits to heterooligomeric complexes. For synaptic SNAREs, it has previously been shown that the transmembrane segments drive homotypic and support heterotypic interactions. Here, we demonstrate that a significant fraction of the yeast vacuolar SNARE Vam3p is a homodimer in detergent extracts of vacuolar membranes. This homodimer exists in parallel to the heterooligomeric SNARE complex. A Vam3p homodimer also formed from the isolated recombinant protein. Interestingly, homodimerization depended on the transmembrane segment. In contrast, formation of the quaternary SNARE complex from recombinant Vam3p, Nyv1p, Vti1p, and Vam7p subunits did not depend on the transmembrane segment of Vam3p nor on the transmembrane segments of its partner proteins. We conclude that Vam3p homodimerization, but not quaternary SNARE complex formation, is promoted by TMS-TMS interaction. As the transmembrane segments of Vam3p and other SNARE homologues were previously shown to be critical for membrane fusion downstream of membrane apposition, our results may shed light on the functional significance of SNARE TMS-TMS interactions.

Unraveling the mechanisms of synaptotagmin and SNARE function in neurotransmitter release

SNARE proteins and synaptotagmin are key components of the complex machinery that controls Ca(2+)-triggered neurotransmitter release but their mechanisms of action are under debate. Recent research has shed light on which biochemical and/or biophysical properties underlie SNARE and synaptotagmin function. SNARE proteins most likely have a role in membrane fusion owing to their ability to bring the synaptic vesicle and plasma membranes together and to perturb lipid bilayers through their transmembrane regions. Synaptotagmin acts as a Ca(2+) sensor and might cooperate with the SNAREs in accelerating fusion by binding simultaneously to the two membranes. However, recent research has strongly challenged the validity of models proposing that the SNAREs (with or without synaptotagmin) constitute "minimal membrane fusion machineries" and has emphasized the essential nature of other proteins for exocytosis. Understanding the functions of these proteins will be crucial to reach a faithful description of the mechanisms of membrane fusion and neurotransmitter release.

Transmembrane Organization of Yeast Syntaxin-Analogue Sso1p†

Membrane fusion in secretory pathways is thought to be mediated by SNAREs. It is proposed that membrane fusion transits through hemifusion, a condition in which the outer leaflets of the bilayers are mixed, but the inner leaflets are not. Hemifusion then proceeds to the fusion pore that connects the two internal contents. It is believed that the transmembrane domains (TMDs) of the fusion proteins play an essential role in the transition from hemifusion to the fusion pore. In this work, the structure, dynamics, and membrane topology of the TMD of Sso1p, a target membrane (t-) SNARE involved in the trafficking from Golgi to plasma membrane in yeast, was investigated using site-directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy. The EPR analysis of spin-labeled mutants showed that the TMD of Sso1p is a well-defined membrane spanning alpha-helix. The results also indicate that there is an equilibrium between the monomers and the oligomers. The oligomerization is mainly mediated through the interaction at the N-terminal half of the TMD, whereas the C-terminal half is free of the tertiary interaction. Additionally, the isotropic hyperfine splitting values were examined for nitroxide-scanning mutants, and it was found that the hyperfine splitting values show a V-shaped profile across the bilayer. Thus, hyperfine splitting may be used as an additional parameter to measure bilayer immersion depths of nitroxide.

Ca(2+)-synaptotagmin directly regulates t-SNARE function during reconstituted membrane fusion

In nerve terminals, exocytosis is mediated by SNARE proteins and regulated by Ca(2+) and synaptotagmin-1 (syt). Ca(2+) promotes the interaction of syt with anionic phospholipids and the target membrane SNAREs (t-SNAREs) SNAP-25 and syntaxin. Here, we have used a defined reconstituted fusion assay to determine directly whether syt-t-SNARE interactions couple Ca(2+) to membrane fusion by comparing the effects of Ca(2+)-syt on neuronal (SNAP-25, syntaxin and synaptobrevin) and yeast (Sso1p, Sec9c and Snc2p) SNAREs. Ca(2+)-syt aggregated neuronal and yeast SNARE liposomes to similar extents via interactions with anionic phospholipids. However, Ca(2+)-syt was able to bind and stimulate fusion mediated by only neuronal SNAREs and had no effect on yeast SNAREs. Thus, Ca(2+)-syt regulates fusion through direct interactions with t-SNAREs and not solely through aggregation of vesicles. Ca(2+)-syt drove assembly of SNAP-25 onto membrane-embedded syntaxin, providing direct evidence that Ca(2+)-syt alters t-SNARE structure.

Synaptotagmin I and Ca(2+) promote half fusion more than full fusion in SNARE-mediated bilayer fusion

Synaptic membrane fusion, which is necessary for neurotransmitter release, may be mediated by SNAREs and regulated by synaptotagmin (Syt) and Ca(2+). Fusion of liposomes mediated by reconstituted SNAREs produces full fusion and hemifusion, a membrane structure in which outer leaflets are mixed but the inner leaflets remain intact. Here, using the liposome fusion assay, it is shown that Syt promoted both hemifusion and full fusion in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Syt.Ca(2+) increased hemifusion more than full fusion, modulating the ratio of hemifusion to full fusion. Unlike the case of neuronal SNAREs, stimulation of fusion by Syt.Ca(2+) was not seen for other SNAREs involved in trafficking in yeast, indicating that the Syt.Ca(2+) stimulation was SNARE-specific. We constructed hybrid SNAREs in which transmembrane domains were swapped between neuronal and yeast SNAREs. With these hybrid SNAREs, we demonstrated that the interaction between the SNARE motifs of neuronal proteins and Syt.Ca(2+) was required for the stimulation of fusion.

Transition from hemifusion to pore opening is rate limiting for vacuole membrane fusion

Fusion pore opening and expansion are considered the most energy-demanding steps in viral fusion. Whether this also applies to soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor (SNARE)- and Rab-dependent fusion events has been unknown. We have addressed the problem by characterizing the effects of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and other late-stage inhibitors on lipid mixing and pore opening during vacuole fusion. LPC inhibits fusion by inducing positive curvature in the bilayer and changing its biophysical properties. The LPC block reversibly prevented formation of the hemifusion intermediate that allows lipid, but not content, mixing. Transition from hemifusion to pore opening was sensitive to guanosine-5'-(gamma-thio)triphosphate. It required the vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase V0 sector and coincided with its transformation. Pore opening was rate limiting for the reaction. As with viral fusion, opening the fusion pore may be the most energy-demanding step for intracellular, SNARE-dependent fusion reactions, suggesting that fundamental aspects of lipid mixing and pore opening are related for both systems.

The polybasic juxtamembrane region of Sso1p is required for SNARE function in vivo

Exocytosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the specific interaction between the plasma membrane t-SNARE complex (Sso1/2p;Sec9p)and a vesicular v-SNARE (Snc1/2p). While SNARE proteins drive membrane fusion, many aspects of SNARE assembly and regulation are ill defined. Plasma membrane syntaxin homologs (including Sso1p) contain a highly charged juxtamembrane region between the transmembrane helix and the "SNARE domain" or core complex domain. We examined this region in vitro and in vivo by targeted sequence modification, including insertions and replacements. These modified Sso1 proteins were expressed as the sole copy of Sso in S. cerevisiae and examined for viability. We found that mutant Sso1 proteins with insertions or duplications show limited function, whereas replacement of as few as three amino acids preceding the transmembrane domain resulted in a nonfunctional SNARE in vivo. Viability is also maintained when two proline residues are inserted in the juxtamembrane of Sso1p, suggesting that helical continuity between the transmembrane domain and the core coiled-coil domain is not absolutely required. Analysis of these mutations in vitro utilizing a reconstituted fusion assay illustrates that the mutant Sso1 proteins are only moderately impaired in fusion. These results suggest that the sequence of the juxtamembrane region of Sso1p is vital for function in vivo, independent of the ability of these proteins to direct membrane fusion.