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Mechanics of membrane fusion

Nature Structural Biology volume 5, pages 839–842 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

A fascinating problem in modern cell biology — how membranes fuse — may be close to a solution. A flurry of recent papers report structural results on proteins that are essential for membrane fusion during exocytosis, providing a starting point from which a mechanistic understanding of membrane fusion can be launched.

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Figure 1: The function of the core complex in synaptic membrane fusion.
Figure 2: Structure of the core complex.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, the Center for Basic Neuroscience and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, 75235, Texas, USA

    Josep Rizo

  2. Department of Molecular Genetics, the Center for Basic Neuroscience and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, 75235, Texas, USA

    Thomas C. Südhof

Authors
  1. Josep Rizo
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  2. Thomas C. Südhof
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Correspondence to Josep Rizo or Thomas C. Südhof.

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Rizo, J., Südhof, T. Mechanics of membrane fusion. Nat Struct Mol Biol 5, 839–842 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/2280

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