Fig. 2

Function of V-ATPase in the nervous system. In presynaptic bouton, V-ATPase is responsible for generating the H⁺-electrochemical gradient in synaptic vesicles, which drives the refilling of newly formed synaptic vesicles with neurotransmitter. Synaptic vesicle V-ATPase also participates in the step of fusion. Relying on its H⁺-pumping ability, V-ATPase modulates multiple cellular activities including endosome maturation and trafficking, protein processing and degradation via different autophagic pathways in multiple vesicle organelles such as lysosome and endosome. The acidic environment of the lysosomes is critical for not only the function of lysosomes but also many cellular processes related to lysosomes. V-ATPase is also involved in pH sensing, nutrient signaling, and scaffold for protein-protein interactions