The synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin-1 (SYT) is required to couple calcium influx to the membrane fusion machinery. However, the structural mechanism underlying this process is unclear.Here we report an unexpected circular arrangement (ring) of SYT's cytosolic domain (C2AB) formed on lipid monolayers in the absence of free calcium ions as revealed by electron microscopy. Rings vary in diameter from 18-43 nm, corresponding to 11-26 molecules of SYT. Continuous stacking of the SYT rings occasionally converts both lipid monolayers and bilayers into protein-coated tubes. Helical reconstruction of the SYT tubes shows that one of the C2 domains (most likely C2B, based on its biochemical properties) interacts with the membrane and is involved in ring formation, and the other C2 domain points radially outward. SYT rings are disrupted rapidly by physiological concentrations of free calcium but not by magnesium. Assuming that calcium-free SYT rings are physiologically relevant, these results suggest a simple and novel mechanism by which SYT regulates neurotransmitter release: The ring acts as a spacer to prevent the completion of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor activating protein receptor (SNARE) complex assembly, thereby clamping fusion in the absence of calcium. When the ring disassembles in the presence of calcium, fusion proceeds unimpeded. S ynaptotagmin-1 (SYT) is the calcium (Ca 2+ ) sensor that triggers synchronous release of neurotransmitters for synaptic transmission (1-4). It is a transmembrane protein, localized to the synaptic vesicles (1, 5), with tandem cytosolic C2 domains (C2A and C2B) that bind phospholipids in both a Ca 2+ -independent and a Ca 2+ -dependent manner (1, 6). The membrane-distal C2B domain interacts with acidic lipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2 ) to mediate efficient docking of the synaptic vesicles (7-10) before the influx of Ca 2+ ions. Recent studies (7,8,11,12) have located this calciumindependent membrane-binding site to a polybasic patch on the C2B domain (site I in Fig. 1A). The binding of Ca 2+ to the calcium-coordination pocket of the C2B domain (site II in Fig. 1A) triggers the insertion of flanking portions of site II into the plasma membrane, and this Ca 2+ -triggered membrane insertion is absolutely required for neurotransmitter release (13-16).The C2B domain also mediates the Ca 2+ -independent binding of SYT to neuronal soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor activating protein receptor on the plasma membrane (t-SNARE) [syntaxin/ synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP25)], most likely via its interaction with SNAP25 (17-21). This interaction is believed to position SYT on the prefusion SNARE complexes to trigger rapid exocytosis in response to Ca 2+ (20,22). How the insertion of site II into the membrane bilayer is coupled to the completion of the SNARE assembly to release neurotransmitter is still unclear, although some key points have been established. In the prefusion state, the SNARE complexes...