The effects of SNAP/SNARE complexes on the ATPase of NSF.

The ATPase of the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) appears to be central to the events that culminate in vesicle-target membrane fusion. Complexes containing different combinations of NSF, alpha-SNAP, Vamp-2 (synaptobrevin 2), syntaxin 1, and SNAP-25 were reconstituted and then tested for their effect on the ATPase of NSF. While NSF interacts with all alpha-SNAP-containing complexes, only the alpha-SNAP/t-SNARE complex significantly stimulated ATPase activity. This stimulation was dependent on increasing SNAP/t-SNARE complex and was saturable. The apparent stimulation of ATPase activity is due to a 10-fold increase in initial hydrolysis rate. Complex containing both v- and t-SNAREs bound significantly more alpha-SNAP but did not stimulate the ATPase of NSF.