SNARE and Tomosyn (IMAGE) Picower Institute at MIT Caption Above: Round vesicles carrying glutamate seek to dock to the cell membrane by binding to SNARE proteins (blue and yellow). In tonic neurons (left) tomosyn (brown and orange) intercepts the vesicles and binds them instead, preventing docking at the membrane, which is necessary for glutamate release across a synapse. Credit Littleton Lab/MIT PIcower Institute Usage Restrictions with credit License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.