Dockingkompleksi

Dockingkompleksi is a term used in cell biology to describe a family of multi-subunit protein assemblies that mediate the docking of transport vesicles and other carriers to specific target membranes. The docking typically occurs after vesicle budding and before membrane fusion, and the docking complex serves to tether vesicles at the correct location and orientation to facilitate subsequent trafficking steps.

Dockingkomplekset functions as a membrane-anchored scaffold that coordinates interactions with small GTPases of the Rab family and with other tethering factors. By bridging the vesicle and the target membrane, docking complexes help prepare the site for SNARE-mediated fusion and ensure specificity of delivery. Many docking complexes work in concert with motor proteins, cytoskeletal elements, and lipid cues to position vesicles accurately within the cell.

Examples of well-studied docking complexes include the exocyst, an octameric tethering complex that promotes docking of exocytic vesicles at the plasma membrane in many cell types; the COG complex, which operates at the Golgi to mediate retrograde trafficking; GARP, involved in Golgi-associated retrograde tethering; and Dsl1, which participates in ER-Golgi tethering. These complexes are typically composed of multiple subunits with elongated, coiled-coil–rich architectures and are evolutionarily conserved across eukaryotes.

Clinical and biological relevance of dockingkomplekset arises from its essential role in secretion and membrane trafficking. Defects in docking pathways can disrupt vesicle delivery in various tissues and have been implicated in a range of conditions, including neurodevelopmental and metabolic disorders, underscoring the importance of precise vesicle docking for cellular function.