Vesicular Transport and Membrane Fusion

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to vesicular transport, membrane fusion, and significant cellular processes discussed in the lecture.

Vesicular Transport

The process by which materials move into and out of cells via vesicles.

SNARE Complex

A protein complex that facilitates the fusion of vesicles with target membranes.

Rab-GTP

A small GTPase that helps mediate vesicle trafficking by binding to specific effectors.

Endosome

A membrane-bound compartment within the cell that is involved in transporting and sorting materials.

GTPase Activating Protein (GAP)

A protein that activates the GTPase activity of Rab-GTP, converting it to Rab-GDP.

Guanine Exchange Factor (GEF)

A protein that promotes the exchange of GDP for GTP on Rab-GDP, reactivating it.

Ubiquitin

A small protein that tag other proteins for degradation or localization within the cell.

Multivesicular Bodies (MVBs)

Endosomal structures that transport proteins to lysosomes for degradation.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

A neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons, often linked to Golgi complex fragmentation.

V-SNARE and T-SNARE

Types of SNARE proteins; v-SNARE on vesicles and t-SNARE on target membranes, critical for vesicle fusion.