STX1A/A0040

Syntaxin 1A, also known as STX1A or A0040 is a major component of the complex mediating vesicle fusion at the synaptic plasma membrane (target SNARE complex) leading to neurotransmitter release.

Syntaxin 1A, also known as STX1A or A0040 is a major component of the complex mediating vesicle fusion at the synaptic plasma membrane (target SNARE complex) leading to neurotransmitter release. It binds SNAP-25, synaptobrevin and synaptotagmin, the latter interaction being calcium-dependent. Located on the synaptic plasma membrane, it has a single membrane spanning region, extracellular, cytosolic and t-snare interacting domains. It is a substrate for botulinum neurotoxin type C, which inactivates it by proteolytic cleavage. The protein is 301 amino acids long and weighs 34.1 kDa. Syntaxin 1A knock-out mice showed reduced hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), though synaptic transmission was normal in cultured neurons. Knock-out mice had normal spatial memory but impaired conditioned fear responses. Appears to be involved in synaptic plasticity but not essential for synaptic transmission. The STX1A gene is in the region (q11.23 of chromosome 7) deleted in Williams-Beuren syndrome, sufferers of which display specific cognitive deficits.