Historically, studies on the maturation and intracellular transport of melanosomes in melanocytes have greatly contributed to elucidating the general mechanisms of intracellular transport in many different types of mammalian cells. During melanosome maturation, melanosome cargoes including melanogenic enzymes (e.g. tyrosinase) are transported from endosomes to immature melanosomes by membrane trafficking, which must require a membrane fusion process likely regulated by SNAREs [soluble NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor) attachment protein receptors]. In the present study, we review the literature concerning the expression and function of SNAREs (e.g. v-SNARE vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 and t-SNAREs syntaxin-3/13 and synaptosomal-associated protein-23) in melanocytes, especially in regard to the fusion process in which melanosome cargoes are finally delivered to immature melanosomes. We also describe the recent discovery of the SNARE recycling system on mature melanosomes in melanocytes. Such SNARE dynamics, especially the SNARE recycling system, on melanosomes will be useful in understanding as yet unidentified SNARE dynamics on other organelles.
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Cover Image
Cover Image
The image represents a simplified ‘open’ cell of the gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor and selected components of its zinc metabolism. The zinc sensor protein – zinc uptake regulator (Zur) – is shown in metallic blue in the middle, bound to DNA (green) where it works as a transcriptional repressor when zinc levels are adequate. The Zur-regulated high-affinity zinc uptake system ZnuABC is shown in purple. Synthesis of the secreted zincophore coelibactin is also Zur-regulated. Zinc ions are shown as silver balls surrounding the cell, and bound to Zur; for details see pages 983–1001.
The image has been created by Alevtina Mikhaylina with the help of Claudia A. Blindauer and David J. Scanlan.
SNARE dynamics during melanosome maturation Available to Purchase
Norihiko Ohbayashi, Mitsunori Fukuda; SNARE dynamics during melanosome maturation. Biochem Soc Trans 20 August 2018; 46 (4): 911–917. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20180130
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