We are interested in the molecular mechanisms that underlie neurotransmitter release and the role of these mechanisms in synaptic plasticity and behavior.
Synaptic transmission involves the regulated exocytosis of vesicles filled with neurotransmitter.
Since classical transmitters are made in the cytoplasm, exocytotic release requires transport into secretory vesicles. We study the transport proteins responsible for vesicle filling, and have identified two families, one that includes transporters for monoamines and acetylcholine, and another that includes the transporters for GABA and perhaps other amino acid transmitters such as glutamate. In the process, we have identified additional proteins involved in neurotransmitter recycling. We are now studying the regulation of these transporters and have identified phosphorylation sites that influence their membrane trafficking to different populations of neurosecretory vesicles. The results indicate that classical transmitters have the potential for multiple modes of release.