NSF (N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein) is a critical component of the SNARE (soluble NSF attachment protein receptors) protein complex that is involved in synaptic vesicle trafficking. Specifically, NSF has been found to be essential in membrane fusion. Furthermore, NSF has been recently demonstrated to bind other protein complexes such as AMPA receptor subunits (GluR2), GATE-16, LMA-1 and Rabs suggesting a more diverse role in the assembly of various protein complexes (Whiteheart et al., 2004).
