Mécanisme de la fusion membranaire

Abstract

Eukaryotic cells have a complex network of intracellular membranes. The different compartments (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, lysosomes, plasma membrane) are connected by vesicles that bud from a donor compartment and fuse with an acceptor compartment thus defining membrane trafficking as a dynamic phenomenon. Membrane fusion depends on the SNARE family of proteins, the function of which can be recapitulated in vitro. In addition, a large number of proteins, that is discussed in the present paper, control the tethering of the membranes, the priming of the reaction, the regulation of fusion itself and the recycling of SNARE proteins.