Abstract
Arguably no cell component is as important as membranes. Membranes allow compartmentalisation of tissues and cells, such that biomolecular functions can be carried out in a suitable environment. Consequently, processes that shape and remodel membranes are fundamental to biology. This PhD project will use cryo-electron tomography and atomic force microscopy to provide new insights into protein architecture and dynamics involved in membrane remodelling, with a focus on the COPII coat complex. COPII is an essential component of the secretory pathway and its malfunction is related to a number of diseases due to defects in collagen secretion and connective tissue formation.
References
Hutchings, J., Stancheva, V., Miller, E. A. & Zanetti, G. Subtomogram averaging of COPII assemblies reveals how coat organization dictates membrane shape. Nature Communications 9, 4154 (2018).
Hutchings, J. et al. Structure of the complete, membrane-assembled COPII coat reveals a complex interaction network. Nature Communications 12, 2034 (2021).
Hutchings, J. & Zanetti, G. Coat flexibility in the secretory pathway: a role in transport of bulky cargoes. Current Opinion in Cell Biology 59, 104–111 (2019).
Parsons, E. S. et al. Single-molecule kinetics of pore assembly by the membrane attack complex. Nature Communications 10, 2066 (2019).