Membrane trafficking is the fundamental process that regulates the distribution of protein and macromolecules in cells, and endocytosis and exocytosis. Moreover, membrane trafficking plays pivotal roles in the development, differentiation, and maintenance of neurons, as well as the formation of neural networks and neural signal transduction. Abnormalities in membrane trafficking resulted from the dysfunction of key regulatory proteins, are the major pathophysiological characterizations of many neurodegenerative diseases.
Many proteins and protein complexes participate in the regulation of membrane trafficking, e.g., SNARE proteins, ATG proteins, ESCRT proteins, RAB GTPases. Such proteins or protein complexes are also critical to synaptogenesis, membrane proteins (channels, transporters, receptors, and so on) recycling, and phase separation. Importantly, membrane proteins recycling and protein phase separation, distributing the target proteins to proper locations and facilitating the multivalent interactions, are required by synaptogenesis. Moreover, ions, like calcium and zinc, and their transporters/channels are involved in synaptogenesis and closely related to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. The homeostasis of ions is also a critical regulatory factor of membrane trafficking.
In recent years, many new genes and proteins have been shown to function in the abovementioned processes, however, the biochemical and structural bases of these proteins are not clear.
In this Research Topic, we expect that colleagues can focus on the biochemical and structural investigation of the regulators that participate in synaptogenesis and membrane proteins internalization.
- Structural and biochemical study of proteins related to synaptogenesis and membrane proteins recycling.
- Mechanistic study of the recycling of neuron-related membrane proteins.
- Mechanistic study of phase separation of proteins related to synaptogenesis.
- Novel regulators of synaptogenesis and membrane trafficking.
- Ions and their transporters/channels are involved in synaptogenesis and membrane trafficking.
Membrane trafficking is the fundamental process that regulates the distribution of protein and macromolecules in cells, and endocytosis and exocytosis. Moreover, membrane trafficking plays pivotal roles in the development, differentiation, and maintenance of neurons, as well as the formation of neural networks and neural signal transduction. Abnormalities in membrane trafficking resulted from the dysfunction of key regulatory proteins, are the major pathophysiological characterizations of many neurodegenerative diseases.
Many proteins and protein complexes participate in the regulation of membrane trafficking, e.g., SNARE proteins, ATG proteins, ESCRT proteins, RAB GTPases. Such proteins or protein complexes are also critical to synaptogenesis, membrane proteins (channels, transporters, receptors, and so on) recycling, and phase separation. Importantly, membrane proteins recycling and protein phase separation, distributing the target proteins to proper locations and facilitating the multivalent interactions, are required by synaptogenesis. Moreover, ions, like calcium and zinc, and their transporters/channels are involved in synaptogenesis and closely related to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. The homeostasis of ions is also a critical regulatory factor of membrane trafficking.
In recent years, many new genes and proteins have been shown to function in the abovementioned processes, however, the biochemical and structural bases of these proteins are not clear.
In this Research Topic, we expect that colleagues can focus on the biochemical and structural investigation of the regulators that participate in synaptogenesis and membrane proteins internalization.
- Structural and biochemical study of proteins related to synaptogenesis and membrane proteins recycling.
- Mechanistic study of the recycling of neuron-related membrane proteins.
- Mechanistic study of phase separation of proteins related to synaptogenesis.
- Novel regulators of synaptogenesis and membrane trafficking.
- Ions and their transporters/channels are involved in synaptogenesis and membrane trafficking.
