Berlin 2008 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 9: Membranes and Interfaces
BP 9.1: Vortrag
Dienstag, 26. Februar 2008, 10:30–10:45, PC 203
Size distribution and radial density profile of synaptic vesicles by SAXS and light scattering — •Simon Castorph1, Matthew Holt2, Michael Sztucki3, Reinhard Jahn2, and Tim Salditt1 — 1Institute for X-ray Physics, Göttingen, Germany — 2Max Plank Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany — 3European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
Synaptic vesicles are small membraneous organelles within the nerve terminal, encapsulating neurotransmitters by a lipid bilayer. The transport of the neurotransmitter, the fusion at the plasma membrane, and the release of the stored neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft are since long know as essential step in nerve conduction of the chemical synapse. A detailed structural view of these molecular mechanisms is still lacking, not withstanding the enormous progress in the field during recent years [1, 2].
From measurements and quantitative fitting of small angle x-ray scattering curves and dynamic light scattering the averaged structural properties of synaptic vesicles can be determined.
We present SAXS measurements and fits revealing the width of the size distribution function and details of the radial scattering length profile of synaptic vesicles from rat brain. Representative values for the inner and outer radius and the size polydispersity as well as the density and width of the outer protein layer are obtained.
References: [1] Südhof, T. (2004) Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 27, 509 - 547 [2] Takamori, S., et al. (2006) Cell 127, 831 - 846