title: The number of α-synuclein proteins per vesicle gives insights into its physiological function.
abstract: Although it is well established that the protein α-synuclein (αS) plays an important role in Parkinson's disease, its physiological function remains largely unknown. It has been reported to bind membranes and to play a role in membrane remodeling processes. The mechanism by which αS remodels membranes is still debated; it may either affect its physical properties or act as a chaperone for other membrane associated proteins. To obtain insight into the role of αS in membrane remodeling we investigated the number of αS proteins associated with single small vesicles in a neuronal cell model. Using single-molecule microscopy and photo-bleaching approaches, we most frequently found 70 αS-GFPs per vesicle. Although this number is high enough to modulate physical membrane properties, it is also strikingly similar to the number of synaptobrevins, a putative interaction partner of αS, per vesicle. We therefore hypothesize a dual, synergistic role for αS in membrane remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mohammad A A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fakhree
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christian C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Raiss
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carolus J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Siero
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Biophysik (E27), Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grabmayr
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Biophysik (E27), Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bausch
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MIRA and MESA+ Institutes, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mireille M A E
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Claessens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008566:Membranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000072760:Single Molecule Imaging; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein