Abstract
The complex mechanism of intracellular transport is regulated by free calcium in different manners. Calcium binding proteins regulate several aspects of the vesicle fusion mechanism mediated by NSF (N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion factor). At least in some regulated exocytosis, calcium-binding proteins are the trigger for fusion downstream of NSF. Still, calcium-binding proteins, such as annexins, may be part of a different fusion mechanism mediating some specific transport steps or working in parallel to the NSF-dependent fusion process. Calcium is not the only ion necessary for the function of factors involved in vesicular transport. A zinc requirement has been also proposed. One of the zinc-dependent factors is probably a protein with a cysteine-rich region that coordinates zinc and binds phorbolesters. Although protein kinase C is the more prominent family of proteins carrying this domain, the factor necessary for transport does not appear to function as a kinase.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 339-342 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Biocell |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - Dec 1 1996 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Annexin
- Calcium
- Endocytosis
- Protein kinase C
- Zinc
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cell Biology