Article
Cell Biology
Tiantian Qian, Chenlu Li, Furong Liu, Kai Xu, Chun Wan, Yinghui Liu, Haijia Yu
Summary: Endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites (EPCSs) in plant cells play a critical role in abiotic stress tolerance. Arabidopsis SYT1, enriched in EPCSs, has been shown to mediate lipid transfer between membranes. The lipid transfer activity of SYT1 is regulated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P-2] and Ca2+.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kentaro Shimasaki, Keigo Kumagai, Shota Sakai, Toshiyuki Yamaji, Kentaro Hanada
Summary: This study reveals that hyperosmotic stress induces the phosphorylation of CERT at serine 315 residue without affecting the phosphorylation state of the serine-repeat motif. The enhanced binding of CERT with VAP-A in a phosphorylation-dependent manner occurs throughout the ER under hyperosmotic conditions. Additionally, de novo synthesis of sphingomyelin with very-long acyl chains is found to increase through a CERT-independent mechanism under hyperosmotic stress.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Bahnisikha Barman, Bong Hwan Sung, Evan Krystofiak, Jie Ping, Marisol Ramirez, Bryan Millis, Ryan Allen, Nripesh Prasad, Sergei Chetyrkin, M. Wade Calcutt, Kasey Vickers, James G. Patton, Qi Liu, Alissa M. Weaver
Summary: RNA-containing extracellular vesicles (EVs) are generated at endoplasmic reticulum membrane contact sites (ER MCSs), regulated by the ER MCS linker protein VAP-A. These VAP-A-regulated EVs play a critical role in miR-100 transfer between cells and tumor formation in vivo.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julie Milanini, Maud Magdeleine, Nicolas Fuggetta, Souade Ikhlef, Frederic Brau, Sophie Abelanet, Fabien Alpy, Catherine Tomasetto, Guillaume Drin
Summary: Membrane contact sites are specialized areas where two distinct organelles are physically connected for molecule exchange and signaling processes. This study presents a strategy to create in situ artificial contact sites between synthetic and endogenous organelle membranes. These artificial contact sites can be used to study the tethering activity of proteins and design reconstitution assays.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valentina Corradi, Anna N. Bukiya, Williams E. Miranda, Meng Cui, Leigh D. Plant, Diomedes E. Logothetis, D. Peter Tieleman, Sergei Y. Noskov, Avia Rosenhouse-Dantsker
Summary: This study reveals the molecular mechanism of cholesterol's effect on ion channel activity. Through mutagenesis and simulation experiments on the Kir3.4 channel, researchers identified a molecular switch that controls the regulation of the channel by cholesterol. This switch changes the conformation of the channel, leading to different effects of cholesterol on the channel's activity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael R. R. Wozny, Andrea Di Luca, Dustin R. R. Morado, Andrea Picco, Rasha Khaddaj, Pablo Campomanes, Lazar Ivanovic, Patrick C. C. Hoffmann, Elizabeth A. A. Miller, Stefano Vanni, Wanda Kukulski
Summary: The endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria play crucial roles in eukaryotic membrane biogenesis through lipid exchange at membrane contact sites. However, the mechanisms underlying this process are not well understood. In this study, researchers used integrative structural biology techniques to investigate the molecular organization of the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES) in yeast cells. They found that ERMES forms discrete bridge-like complexes at contact sites, consisting of synaptotagmin-like mitochondrial lipid binding protein domains. This study provides important insights into the supramolecular architecture and lipid transfer mechanisms involved in inter-organelle communication.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael Overduin, Anh Tran, Dominic M. Eekels, Finn Overduin, Troy A. Kervin
Summary: Transmembrane membrane readers (TMMRs) are a class of proteins that have both transmembrane and peripheral domains, playing important roles in membrane fusion and signal recognition. They have crucial functions in cell biology and membrane trafficking, and are considered as drug targets for diseases like COVID-19.
Review
Physiology
Bogusz Kulawiak, Adam Szewczyk
Summary: This paper critically reviews the current challenges in mitochondrial potassium channels research. Although there has been substantial progress in understanding K+ traffic in mitochondria, some fundamental issues in this process remain unresolved. The molecular identity of various mitochondrial potassium channels and their interactions with other mitochondrial proteins are discussed in this paper. The posttranslational modifications and pharmacological targeting of mitochondrial potassium channels are also mentioned.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Guillaume Lenoir, Juan Martin D'Ambrosio, Thibaud Dieudonne, Alenka Copic
Summary: The distribution of PS within cellular membranes is controlled by a variety of factors, including PS biosynthesis enzymes, lipid transfer proteins, and lipid flippases. The enrichment of PS in specific compartments requires energy input, and PS transfer may be achieved by passive flow. The presence of lateral PS nanodomains can alter the steepness or direction of PS gradients between different compartments.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ravikumar Reddi, Kimberly Matulef, Erika Riederer, Pierre Moenne-Loccoz, Francis Valiyaveetil
Summary: Regulation of ion conduction through the pore of a K+ channel involves coordinated action of the activation gate and inactivation gate, with the W67F mutant of the KcsA channel showing reduced inactivation and enhanced activation rate. Structural studies provide insights into the allosteric pathway and highlight the importance of ion occupancy at the S2 site for channel inactivation.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Masayuki Iwamoto, Masayuki Morito, Shigetoshi Oiki, Yudai Nishitani, Daisuke Yamamoto, Nobuaki Matsumori
Summary: The study reveals that dianionic cardiolipin (CL) has higher affinity for KcsA and can bind to both the N-terminal M0 helix and a specific site, while monoanionic lipids primarily interact with the M0 helix. This suggests the presence of an alternative CL-binding site in the transmembrane domain. Furthermore, CL enhances the channel opening independently of the M0 helix, while the action of monoanionic lipids is mediated solely by the M0 helix.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reza Amani, Charles D. Schwieters, Collin G. Borcik, Isaac R. Eason, Ruixian Han, Benjamin D. Harding, Benjamin J. Wylie
Summary: Using solid-state NMR measurements of water proximity information and refining the membrane protein structure in simulations has proven to be an effective method for improving structural resolution.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jintao Wang, Huan Liu, Zhuolin Sun, Xinyi Zou, Zixuan Zhang, Xiaofeng Wei, Lanying Pan, Antony Stalin, Wei Zhao, Yuan Chen
Summary: In this study, the TWIK1 current was increased by using a high concentration of ammonium solution. The inhibitory effect of magnolol on TWIK1 was observed, and it was found that G229 and T225 on the P2-pore helix play an important role in TWIK1 inhibition.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
S. Wenceslao Evans, Dong-Qing Shi, Mariya Chavarha, Mark H. Plitt, Jiannis Taxidis, Blake Madruga, Jiang Lan Fan, Fuu-Jiun Hwang, Siri C. van Keulen, Carl-Mikael Suomivuori, Michelle M. Pang, Sharon Su, Sungmoo Lee, Yukun A. Hao, Guofeng Zhang, Dongyun Jiang, Lagnajeet Pradhan, Richard H. Roth, Yu Liu, Conor C. Dorian, Austin L. Reese, Adrian Negrean, Attila Losonczy, Christopher D. Makinson, Sui Wang, Thomas R. Clandinin, Ron O. Dror, Jun B. Ding, Na Ji, Peyman Golshani, Lisa M. Giocomo, Guo-Qiang Bi, Michael Z. Lin
Summary: By inverting the fluorescence-voltage relationship, the photostability of ASAP family genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) has been enhanced. Two improved GEVIs, ASAP4b and ASAP4e, enable single-trial detection and recording in standard one- and two-photon microscopes with better temporal resolution. They can simultaneously detect voltage and calcium signals and extend the duration of voltage recordings.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nidhin Thomas, Kranthi K. Mandadapu, Ashutosh Agrawal
Summary: Experimental studies have shown that different lipids can affect the voltage control of Kv channels, with POPA restricting the movement of the voltage sensor domain, cholesterol increasing membrane rigidity, and DOTAP reducing the effect of electrostatic forces by regulating the dielectric constant. The electromechanical model predictions are in agreement with experimental observations, providing insights into the lipid-dependent gating of Kv channels.
MATHEMATICS AND MECHANICS OF SOLIDS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xin Bian, Zhao Zhang, Qiancheng Xiong, Pietro De Camilli, Chenxiang Lin
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andres Guillen-Samander, Xin Bian, Pietro De Camilli
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica J. Ye, Xin Bian, Jaechul Lim, Ruslan Medzhitov
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Cell Biology
Andres Guillen-Samander, Marianna Leonzino, Michael G. Hanna, Ni Tang, Hongying Shen, Pietro De Camilli
Summary: The research reveals that Miro, a protein related to the function of Gem1 in yeast and higher eukaryotes, can recruit the lipid transport protein VPS13D, providing a lipid conduit between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. This discovery highlights a missing link between the functions of Gem1/Miro in yeast and higher eukaryotes, with potential implications for Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gali Umschweif, Lucian Medrihan, Andres Guillen-Samander, Wei Wang, Yotam Sagi, Paul Greengard
Summary: The study found that the chromatin-remodeler SMARCA3 in hippocampal GABAergic interneurons mediates glutamatergic signaling by regulating the expression of the neuronal protein Neurensin-2, and upregulation of Neurensin-2 may lead to depressive-like behaviors.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinghua Ge, Xin Bian, Lu Ma, Yiying Cai, Yanghui Li, Jie Yang, Erdem Karatekin, Pietro De Camilli, Yongli Zhang
Summary: Extended synaptotagmins (E-Syts) mediate lipid exchange between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane (PM) by binding the PM via a series of C2 domains in a Ca2+ and lipid-dependent manner; using optical tweezers, the membrane-binding kinetics of E-Syt1 and E-Syt2 were analyzed, and the binding energies and rates of individual C2 domains or pairs were determined and incorporated into a theoretical model to recapitulate the features of E-Syt-mediated membrane contacts seen in vivo.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shujun Cai, Yumei Wu, Andres Guillen-Samander, William Hancock-Cerutti, Jun Liu, Pietro De Camilli
Summary: Researchers have found in situ evidence for the bridge-like lipid transport mechanism of VPS13 at membrane contact sites using AlphaFold predictions and cryo-electron tomography.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andres Guillen-Samander, Yumei Wu, S. Sebastian Pineda, Francisco J. Garcia, Julia N. Eisen, Marianna Leonzino, Berrak Ugur, Manolis Kellis, Myriam Heiman, Pietro De Camilli
Summary: Chorea-acanthocytosis and McLeod syndrome are diseases caused by mutations in VPS13A and XK genes, respectively, with common features of degenerated caudate neurons and abnormally shaped erythrocytes. VPS13A can be localized at ER-plasma membrane contacts by binding to the cytosolic loop of XK, suggesting its involvement in lipid transfer between the ER and the plasma membrane.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Andres Guillen-Samander, Pietro De Camilli
Summary: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is critical for cell physiology and interacts with other intracellular organelles and the plasma membrane through membrane contact sites (MCSs). Lipid exchanges at MCSs, mediated by lipid transfer proteins, play an important role alongside vesicular transport in cellular lipid traffic. Mutations in genes encoding proteins at ER MCSs can cause familial neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the significance of normal lipid transport for a healthy brain. This article provides an overview of such diseases, focusing on proteins that affect lipid transport directly or indirectly.
COLD SPRING HARBOR PERSPECTIVES IN BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yunyun Wang, Zhenni Li, Xinyu Wang, Ziyuan Zhao, Li Jiao, Ruming Liu, Keying Wang, Rui Ma, Yang Yang, Guo Chen, Yong Wang, Xin Bian
Summary: This study investigates the molecular basis of membrane association by the SMP domain of extended synaptotagmin (E-Syt) through in vitro DNA brick-assisted lipid transfer assays and molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that the SMP domain recognizes the highly curved subdomain of the tubular ER and the acidic-lipid-enriched plasma membrane for efficient lipid transfer. These findings support a model for the action of the SMP domain at membrane contact sites (MCSs).
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Michael Hanna, Andres Guillen-Samander, Pietro De Camilli
Summary: The transport of lipids between membranes in eukaryotic cells is essential for cell function. Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) and vesicle-mediated traffic play important roles in this process. A new family of LTPs with a unique structure has been discovered, suggesting a bridge-like mechanism of lipid transport. Mutations in these proteins can lead to neurodegenerative and developmental disorders.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Lorena Benedetti, Jonathan S. Marvin, Hanieh Falahati, Andres Guillen-Samander, Loren L. Looger, Pietro De Camilli