Interplay of -synuclein with Lipid Membranes: Cooperative Adsorption, Membrane Remodeling and Coaggregation

alpha-Synuclein is a small neuronal protein enriched at presynaptic termini. It is hypothesized to play a role in neurotransmitter release and synaptic vesicle cycling, while the formation of alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, most notably Parkinson's Disease. The molecular mechanisms of both the physiological and pathological functions of alpha-synuclein remain to be fully understood, but in both cases, interactions with membranes play an important role. In this Perspective, we discuss several aspects of alpha-synuclein interactions with lipid membranes including cooperative adsorption, membrane remodeling and alpha-synuclein amyloid fibril formation in the presence of lipid membranes. We highlight the coupling between the different phenomena and their interplay in the context of physiological and pathological functions of alpha-synuclein.