NSF was discovered by James Rothman and colleagues in 1987 while at Stanford University; they identified NSF after observing that a cytoplasmic factor, required for membrane fusions, was inactivated by treatment with N-ethylmaleimide.
O NSF foi descuberto por James Rothman e colegas en 1987 mentres traballaba na Universidade Stanford; estes investigadores identificaron o NSF despois de observar que un factor citplasmático, necesario para a fusión de membranas, era inactivado polo tratamento con N-etilmaleimida.