Non-endosomal roles of ESCRT-III in yeast

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ralf Kölling
• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 323811034

Endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins are involved in many different cellular processes, like endosomal protein sorting, HIV-budding, cytokinesis, plasma membrane repair and resealing of the nuclear envelope during mitosis. Our main goal in this project is to explore new, non-endosomal functions of ESCRT-III in yeast with the focus on the Chm7 containing ESCRT-III complex. Our results so far suggest that Chm7 plays a role at the endoplasmic reticulum as part of an alternative ESCRT-III complex. What constitutes this function is at present unknown. To identify the Chm7 function, we will explore plausible hypotheses about the putative ER function of yeast Chm7. These hypotheses draw upon findings by other groups, especially the recent findings on CHMP7, the mammalian orthologue of yeast Chm7. We will especially focus on potential roles of Chm7 in nuclear pore surveillance, nuclear envelope integrity and ER remodeling. We will further characterize Chm7 with respect to its membrane association, the composition of the Chm7 complex and its interaction with Vps4. Furthermore, we will initiate a functional study of the Mos10/Vps60 complex. Mos10 is an orphan ESCRT-III protein; no clear function could be attributed to this protein so far.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants