Studies of synaptic vesicle endocytosis in the nematode C-elegans

After synaptic vesicle exocytosis, synaptic vesicle proteins must be retrie ved from the plasma membrane, sorted away from other membrane proteins, and reconstituted into a functional synaptic vesicle. The nematode Caenorhabdi tis elegans is an organism well suited for a genetic analysis of this proce ss. In particular, three types of genetic studies have contributed to our u nderstanding of synaptic vesicle endocytosis. First, screens for mutants de fective in synaptic vesicle recycling have identified new proteins that fun ction specifically in neurons. Second, RNA interference has been used to qu ickly confirm the roles of known proteins in endocytosis. Third, gene targe ting techniques have elucidated the roles of genes thought to play modulato ry or subtle roles in synaptic vesicle recycling. We describe a molecular m odel for synaptic vesicle recycling and discuss how protein disruption expe riments in C. elegans have contributed to this model.