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Mechanical unzipping and rezipping of a single SNARE complex reveals hysteresis as a force-generating mechanism

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Listed:
  • Duyoung Min

    (National Creative Research Initiative Center for Single-Molecule Systems Biology, KAIST
    KAIST)

  • Kipom Kim

    (KAIST)

  • Changbong Hyeon

    (School of Computational Sciences, Korea Institute for Advanced Study)

  • Yong Hoon Cho

    (KAIST)

  • Yeon-Kyun Shin

    (Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University)

  • Tae-Young Yoon

    (National Creative Research Initiative Center for Single-Molecule Systems Biology, KAIST
    KAIST)

Abstract

Formation of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex provides mechanical thrust for membrane fusion, but its molecular mechanism is still unclear. Here using magnetic tweezers, we observe mechanical responses of a single neuronal SNARE complex under constant pulling force. Single SNARE complexes may be unzipped with 34 pN force. When rezipping is induced by lowering the force to 11 pN, only a partially assembled state results, with the C-terminal half of the SNARE complex remaining disassembled. Reassembly of the C-terminal half occurs only when the force is further lowered below 11 pN. Thus, mechanical hysteresis, characterized by the unzipping and rezipping cycle of a single SNARE complex, produces the partially assembled state. In this metastable state, unzipping toward the N-terminus is suppressed while zippering toward the C-terminus is initiated as a steep function of force. This ensures the directionality of SNARE-complex formation, making the SNARE complex a robust force-generating machine.

Suggested Citation

  • Duyoung Min & Kipom Kim & Changbong Hyeon & Yong Hoon Cho & Yeon-Kyun Shin & Tae-Young Yoon, 2013. "Mechanical unzipping and rezipping of a single SNARE complex reveals hysteresis as a force-generating mechanism," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms2692
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2692
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