Energy-Dependent Disassembly of Self-Assembled SNARE Complex: Observation at Nanometer Resolution Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Full-length v-SNARE protein reconstituted in lipid vesicles, when exposed to t-SNARE-reconstituted lipid membrane, results in the self-assembly of a t-/v-SNARE complex in a ring pattern, forming pores and the establishment of continuity between the opposing bilayers. In contrast, when v-SNARE protein alone (without liposomes) is exposed to t-SNARE-reconstituted lipid membrane, they also self-assemble to form t-/v-SNARE complexes, although such …