THE EFFECTS OF SNAP SNARE COMPLEXES ON THE ATPASE OF NSF/

The ATPase of the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) appears to b e central to the events that culminate in vesicle-target membrane fusi on. Complexes containing different combinations of NSF, alpha-SNAP, Va mp-2 (synaptobrevin 2), syntaxin 1, and SNAP-25 were reconstituted and then tested for their effect on the ATPase of NSF, While NSF interact s with all alpha-SNAP-containing complexes, only the alpha-SNAP/t-SNAR E complex significantly stimulated ATPase activity, This stimulation w as dependent on increasing SNAP/t-SNARE complex and was saturable. The apparent stimulation of ATPase activity is due to a 10-fold increase in initial hydrolysis rate. Complex containing both v- and t-SNAREs bo und significantly more a-SNAP but did not stimulate the ATPase of NSF. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.