Beyond Membrane Fusion: SNARE Proteins as Regulators of Signaling and Gene Expression

Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptor (SNARE) proteins are key mediators of membrane fusion and intracellular vesicular trafficking. Growing evidence indicates that SNAREs also participate in the regulation of signaling pathways and gene expression. While some SNAREs have been localized to the nucleus or shown to shuttle between the cytoplasm and nucleus, others modulate the nuclear translocation and activity of transcription factors. These findings add to the view of SNAREs as mediators of membrane fusion and identify them as regulators of signaling and gene expression. Understanding these noncanonical functions may provide novel insights into the complexity of gene expression regulation in both physiological and pathological conditions.