Requirement of Cholesterol for Calcium-Dependent Vesicle Fusion by Strengthening Synaptotagmin-1-Induced Membrane Bending

Cholesterol is essential for neuronal activity and function. Cholesterol depletion in the plasma membrane impairs synaptic transmission. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cholesterol deficiency leads to defects in vesicle fusion remain poorly understood. Here, it is shown that cholesterol is required for Ca²⁺-dependent native vesicle fusion using the in vitro reconstitution of fusion and amperometry to monitor exocytosis in chromaffin cells. Purified native vesicles are crucial for the reconstitution of physiological Ca²⁺-dependent fusion, because vesicle-mimicking liposomes fail to reproduce the cholesterol effect. Intriguingly, cholesterol has no effect on the membrane binding of synaptotagmin-1, a Ca²⁺ sensor for ultrafast fusion. Cholesterol strengthens local membrane deformation and bending induced by synaptotagmin-1, thereby lowering the energy barrier for Ca²⁺-dependent fusion to occur. The data provide evidence that cholesterol depletion abolishes Ca²⁺-dependent vesicle fusion by disrupting synaptotagmin-1-induced membrane bending, and suggests that cholesterol is an essential lipid regulator for Ca²⁺-dependent fusion.