Vesicle Associated Membrane Protein 2 (VAMP2)

VAMP2 is a member of the vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)/synaptobrevin family. VAMP2 is a likely candidate gene for familial infantile myasthenia (FIMG) because of its map location and because it encodes a synaptic vesicle protein of the type that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of FIMG.

VAMP2 is thought to participate in neurotransmitter release at a step between docking and fusion. Mice lacking functional synaptobrevin2/VAMP2 gene cannot survive after birth, and have a dramatically reduced synaptic transmission, around 10% of control. The protein forms a stable complex with syntaxin, synaptosomal-associated protein, 25 kD, and complexin. It also forms a distinct complex with synaptophysin.