Membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells requires the interaction of a vesicle-associated soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion (NSF) attachment protein receptor (v-SNARE) on transport vesicles with a SNARE on the target membrane (t-SNARE). Both v- and t-SNAREs are compartment-specific and bind each other directly and specifically. The v-SNAREs Ykt6p and Vti1p are involved in ER-Golgi and intra-Golgi membrane trafficking. For v-SNARE Ykt6p, membrane interaction is mediated through a cysteine/aliphatic/aliphatic/methionine or histidine (CAAX) C-terminal motif, a consensus sequence involved in prenylated membrane anchoring. The v-SNARE Vti1p interacts with the prevacuolar t-SNARE Pep12p in Golgi prevacuolar transport and with the cis-Golgi t-SNARE Sed5p in traffic to the cis-Golgi.
