Piccolo (Aczonin)

A large multi-domain protein of the presynaptic active zone

General Information

Piccolo, also referred to as Aczonin, is a large protein which constists of an N-terminal Zn²⁺ finger, several piccolo-bassoon homology domains (PBH-domains) and C-terminal PDZ and C2 domains. In general it is found together with bassoon, a related huge multi-domain protein of the CAZ (cytoskeletal matric assembled at active zones).
Piccolo is supposed to be a scaffolding protein for proteins involved in endo- and exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Recently piccolo has been shown to interfere with clathrin mediated endocytosis by binding to the F-actin and dynamin binding protein Abp1.