Manindra Bera
Research Scientist in Cell BiologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Two successive oligomeric Munc13 assemblies scaffold vesicle docking and SNARE assembly to support neurotransmitter release
Bera M, Grushin K, Kalyana Sundaram R, Hinzen J, Chen J, Chatterjee A, Radhakrishnan A, Lee S, Padmanarayana M, Coleman J, Pincet F, Rothman J, Dittman J. Two successive oligomeric Munc13 assemblies scaffold vesicle docking and SNARE assembly to support neurotransmitter release. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 7222. PMID: 40764329, PMCID: PMC12325603, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62420-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVesicle dockingSynaptic vesiclesPriming of synaptic vesiclesPresynaptic plasma membraneFusion in vitroTrans-SNARESNARE assemblyVesicle primingFunction in vivoMunc13Oligomeric assembliesHomo-oligomersInterface mutationsPlasma membraneNeurotransmitter secretionFunctional impactNeurotransmitter releaseVesiclesSnareIn vivoAssemblyIn vitroDockingMutationsSequenceHighly stable planar asymmetric suspended membranes for investigating protein dynamics and membrane fusion
Bera M, Kalyana Sundaram R, Coleman J, Chatterjee A, Thoduvayil S, Pincet F, Ramakrishnan S. Highly stable planar asymmetric suspended membranes for investigating protein dynamics and membrane fusion. Nature Protocols 2025, 1-25. PMID: 40461798, DOI: 10.1038/s41596-025-01192-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMembrane fusionSingle-vesicle fusion assayMembrane fusion eventsProtein dynamics analysisMembrane fusion mechanismFluorescently labeled proteinsProtein-lipid interactionsSNARE proteinsTotal internal reflection fluorescenceFusion eventsMolecular chaperonesInvestigate protein dynamicsTime-lapse imagingCellular signalingLipid asymmetryFusion assayBiological processesLipid membranesProtein dynamicsMembrane model systemsLiving cellsMembrane environmentNear-native environmentMolecular componentsReflection fluorescence
2024
Minimal presynaptic protein machinery governing diverse kinetics of calcium-evoked neurotransmitter release
Bose D, Bera M, Norman C, Timofeeva Y, Volynski K, Krishnakumar S. Minimal presynaptic protein machinery governing diverse kinetics of calcium-evoked neurotransmitter release. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 10741. PMID: 39738049, PMCID: PMC11685451, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54960-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptotagmin-7Synaptotagmin-1Protein machinerySNARE complex assemblyFusion clampExocytosis processVesicle fusionVesicular fusionComplex assemblySynaptic vesiclesFusion assayMolecular basisPhysiologically relevant conditionsPresynaptic calcium influxNeurotransmitter releaseVesiclesSnareProteinMachineryCompetitive bindingFusion dynamicsComplexinExocytosisFusionCalcium influxSynaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 synergistically regulate the timing and plasticity of Ca2+-evoked vesicular release process
Bose D, Bera M, Norman C, Volynski K, Krishnakumar S. Synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 synergistically regulate the timing and plasticity of Ca2+-evoked vesicular release process. Biophysical Journal 2024, 123: 381a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.2327.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Synaptophysin chaperones the assembly of 12 SNAREpins under each ready-release vesicle
Bera M, Radhakrishnan A, Coleman J, Sundaram R, Ramakrishnan S, Pincet F, Rothman J. Synaptophysin chaperones the assembly of 12 SNAREpins under each ready-release vesicle. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2311484120. PMID: 37903271, PMCID: PMC10636311, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311484120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpecific molecular functionsSynaptic vesicle protein synaptophysinTarget membrane bilayerSensor synaptotagminSNARE proteinsMolecular functionsMembrane proteinsSNAREpinsReceptor vesiclesSingle-molecule measurementsGene knockoutMembrane bilayerLipid bilayersProtein synaptophysinVesiclesDetergent extractsHexamer structureSYPMechanism of actionProteinAssemblyChaperonesSynaptotagminExocytosisBilayersTurbocharging synaptic transmission
Rothman J, Grushin K, Bera M, Pincet F. Turbocharging synaptic transmission. FEBS Letters 2023, 597: 2233-2249. PMID: 37643878, DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14718.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRoles for diacylglycerol in synaptic vesicle priming and release revealed by complete reconstitution of core protein machinery
Sundaram R, Chatterjee A, Bera M, Grushin K, Panda A, Li F, Coleman J, Lee S, Ramakrishnan S, Ernst A, Gupta K, Rothman J, Krishnakumar S. Roles for diacylglycerol in synaptic vesicle priming and release revealed by complete reconstitution of core protein machinery. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2309516120. PMID: 37590407, PMCID: PMC10450444, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309516120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCore protein machineryRelease-ready vesiclesSynaptic vesicle primingVesicle primingProtein machinerySingle-molecule imagingSNAREpin assemblyFunctional intermediatesFunctional reconstitutionMunc13DiacylglycerolCoordinated actionMunc18VesiclesMachineryComplete reconstitutionNew roleSelective effectDetailed characterizationChaperonesRate of caReconstitutionVAMP2ComplexinMutationsRapid Quantification of First and Second Phase Insulin Secretion Dynamics using an In vitro Platform for Improving Insulin Therapy
Thoduvayil S, Weerakkody J, Sundaram R, Topper M, Bera M, Coleman J, Li X, Mariappan M, Ramakrishnan S. Rapid Quantification of First and Second Phase Insulin Secretion Dynamics using an In vitro Platform for Improving Insulin Therapy. Cell Calcium 2023, 113: 102766. PMID: 37295201, PMCID: PMC10450995, DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2023.102766.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCellular pathwaysSecretion dynamicsSmall molecule screeningLuciferase reporter systemInsulin secretion dynamicsHigh-throughput compoundInsulin secretionHigh-throughput quantificationReporter systemGenetic studiesLive cellsDistinct rolesInsulin therapyGlucose-stimulated insulin secretionSmall moleculesEffective insulin therapyPathwaySecretion
2022
Native Planar Asymmetric Suspended Membrane for Single‐Molecule Investigations: Plasma Membrane on a Chip (Small 51/2022)
Sundaram R, Bera M, Coleman J, Weerakkody J, Krishnakumar S, Ramakrishnan S. Native Planar Asymmetric Suspended Membrane for Single‐Molecule Investigations: Plasma Membrane on a Chip (Small 51/2022). Small 2022, 18 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202270277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGiant plasma membrane vesiclesTotal internal reflection fluorescence microscopyMembrane protein assemblyPlasma membrane vesiclesReflection fluorescence microscopyDifferent cell typesSingle-molecule investigationsProtein functionProtein assembliesInner leafletPlasma membraneMembrane vesiclesCell typesLipid architectureFluorescence microscopyLipid membranesMolecule investigationsMembraneSilicon-based platformVesiclesAssemblyCellsBilayersLeafletsNative Planar Asymmetric Suspended Membrane for Single‐Molecule Investigations: Plasma Membrane on a Chip
Sundaram R, Bera M, Coleman J, Weerakkody J, Krishnakumar S, Ramakrishnan S. Native Planar Asymmetric Suspended Membrane for Single‐Molecule Investigations: Plasma Membrane on a Chip. Small 2022, 18: e2205567. PMID: 36328714, DOI: 10.1002/smll.202205567.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPlasma membraneProtein assembliesNative plasma membrane vesiclesTotal internal reflection fluorescence microscopySingle-molecule levelSingle-molecule investigationsCellular plasma membranePlasma membrane vesiclesSingle-molecule precisionReflection fluorescence microscopyKnowledge of lipidProtein complexesProtein architectureCell signalingMovement of moleculesProtein orientationLipid membranesBiological processesCellular membranesMembrane vesiclesMicroarray platformFluorescence investigationsLipid domainsFluorescence microscopyMembrane