Structural determinants of ER-plasma membrane contact site function (P22)

• Subject Area: Biochemistry ; Cell Biology
• Term: from 2020 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 264061860

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) membrane contact sites (MCS) are critical modulators of Ca2+ and lipid homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. In S. cerevisiae cells, the deletion of six proteins (Ist2, Scs2/22 and Tcb1/2/3) dramatically reduces the extent of ER-PM association, indicating that these proteins are the main ER-PM tethers in S. cerevisiae. However, the specific functions of these tethers remain poorly understood. In this project, we address this issue combining functional assays with high resolution imaging of ER-PM tethers in vivo and in vitro using cryo-electron tomography.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1190: Compartmental Gates and Contact Sites in Cells
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Ruben Fernandez Busnadiego