Abstract

SNARE proteins have been proposed to mediate all intracellular membrane fusion events. There are over 30 SNARE family members in mammalian cells and each is found in a distinct subcellular compartment. It is likely that SNAREs encode aspects of membrane transport specificity but the mechanism by which this specificity is achieved remains controversial. Functional studies have provided exciting insights into how SNARE proteins interact with each other to generate the driving force needed to fuse lipid bilayers.

Author affiliations

1. Renovis Inc., 747 Fifty Second Street , Oakland, California 94609, USA.
   Email: yuchen@concentric.net
2. Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

Correspondence to: Email: Scheller@cmgm.stanford.edu