A Fight for Neurotransmission: SCRAPPER Trashes RIM

The presynaptic scaffold molecule RIM1α is important for regulating neurotransmitter release. In this issue, Yao et al. (2007) show in mice that an E3 ubiquitin ligase, SCRAPPER, targets a set of presynaptic proteins including RIM1α for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Their results identify protein degradation as a mechanism for holding rapid synaptic communication in check