Fatty acids add grease to exocytosis.
In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Rickman and Davletov suggest a novel mechanism for biological lipids to regulate synaptic transmission in the brain. Physiologically relevant concentrations of arachidonic acid help to dissociate a protein complex involved in exocytosis.
Verhage
Matthijs
M
Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005089:Exocytosis; D051938:Munc18 Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D050827:Syntaxin 1; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D051938:Munc18 Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D050827:Syntaxin 1; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid