Nerve terminals are specific sites of action of a very large number of toxins produced by
many different organisms. The mechanism of action of three groups of presynaptic …

Complex brain functions, such as learning and memory, are believed to involve changes in
the efficiency of communication between nerve cells. Therefore, the elucidation of the …

Mice carrying a mutation in the synaptotagmin I gene were generated by homologous
recombination. Mutant mice are phenotypically normal as heterozygotes, but die within 48 …

Neurons release neurotransmitters by calcium-dependent exocytosis of synaptic vesicles.
However, the molecular steps transducing the calcium signal into membrane fusion are still …

Synapses are specialized intercellular junctions in which cell adhesion molecules connect
the presynaptic machinery for neurotransmitter release to the postsynaptic machinery for …

Synaptic vesicles store neurotransmitters that are released during calcium-regulated
exocytosis. The specificity of neurotransmitter release requires the localization of both …

A family of highly polymorphic neuronal cell surface proteins, the neurexins, has been
identified. At least two genes for neurexins exist. Each gene uses alternative promoters and …

Neurexins are neuronal cell surface proteins with hundreds of isoforms. In yeast two-hybrid
screens for intracellular molecules interacting with different neurexins, we identified a single …

Synaptotagmin I is a Ca (2+)-and phospholipid-binding protein of synaptic vesicles with an
essential function in neurotransmission. Ca2+/phospholipid binding by synaptotagmin I may …

Tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins are produced by Clostridia and cause the neuroparalytic
syndromes of tetanus and botulism. Tetanus neurotoxin acts mainly at the CNS synapse …