Objetivo Organelles exchange metabolites and information to coordinate essential aspects of cellular physiology, thus behaving as an integrated intracellular network. For example, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) makes contacts with several organelles, including the plasma membrane, mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes. These contacts allow the coordination of calcium and lipid homeostasis across the cell. Yet, little is known about their molecular nature. A long-standing question in cell biology has been how membrane-rich mitochondria receive lipids synthesized in the ER in the absence of vesicular transport between the two organelles. One model suggests that lipids directly shuttle from one organelle to the other at sites of contact, although the hypothesis lacked molecular details.A breakthrough in the field resulted from my postdoctoral research in Peter Walter's laboratory, where I discovered a protein complex that tethers the ER and the mitochondria. This tethering complex called ER-Mitochondria Encounter Structures (ERMES) provides the tethering force necessary to physically couple the two organelles. Our discovery of molecular components of ER-mitochondria junctions opened a fascinating new area of research in interorganelle communication. Our long-term goals for ER-mitochondria study are to understand: (a) the physiological importance of these connections, how they facilitate interorganelle metabolite transport and how this transport affects the functionality of the respective organelles, (b) the molecular architecture that results in interorganelle tethering, (c) the regulation of these junctions, and (d) the conservation between yeast and higher eukaryotes.As most membrane bound compartments establish networks of contact sites with their neighbors, we anticipate that the findings of our proposed ERC research on the ERMES complex will set a framework for deciphering the entire intracellular interorganelle network. Ámbito científico natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metalsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencescell biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasis Programa(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Tema(s) ERC-SG-LS3 - ERC Starting Grant - Cellular and Developmental Biology Convocatoria de propuestas ERC-2013-StG Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria Régimen de financiación ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Institución de acogida EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Aportación de la UE € 1 494 503,00 Dirección Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich Suiza Ver en el mapa Región Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contacto administrativo Benoît Lucien Kornmann (Prof.) Investigador principal Benoît Lucien Kornmann (Prof.) Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos Beneficiarios (1) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH Suiza Aportación de la UE € 1 494 503,00 Dirección Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich Ver en el mapa Región Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Tipo de actividad Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contacto administrativo Benoît Lucien Kornmann (Prof.) Investigador principal Benoît Lucien Kornmann (Prof.) Enlaces Contactar con la organización Opens in new window Sitio web Opens in new window Coste total Sin datos
