Ce mémoire de maîtrise se focalise sur l'influence du cholestérol sur l'interaction de la protéine S100A10 avec les membranes cellulaires, dans le contexte de la macropinocytose. Ce processus, essentiel à la survie cellulaire, permet l'ingestion de liquides extracellulaires et joue un rôle clé dans la régulation de fonctions cellulaires critiques telles que l'immunité, la migration cellulaire et la signalisation. Il est caractérisé par sa capacité à permettre aux cellules de s'adapter rapidement aux changements environnementaux en ingérant des nutriments et en répondant à des stimuli variés. Ce mémoire s'est concentré à décortiquer le rôle spécifique du cholestérol sur la liaison membranaire de la protéine S100A10. L'accent a, dans un premier temps, été mis sur l'optimisation de la surexpression et la purification de cette protéine, par le biais d'approches méthodologiques rigoureuses. Ces efforts ont permis de sonder en profondeur les interactions entre cette protéine et différents constituants des membranes cellulaires. La technique de la tensiométrie de surface a été particulièrement révélatrice, dévoilant l'influence significative de la présence et de la concentration du cholestérol sur la liaison de la S100A10 avec divers phospholipides membranaires. En complément, les isothermes de compression ont permis de dévoiler comment le cholestérol modifie la compressibilité et la stabilité des monocouches lipidiques. Ces données ont mis en évidence l'importance de l'architecture membranaire dans les mécanismes cellulaires impliquant la protéine S100A10. En somme, ce mémoire révèle que la modulation des interactions entre la S100A10 et les phospholipides par le cholestérol est un processus complexe, pouvant avoir des répercussions directes sur la macropinocytose. Les résultats de cette étude apportent une contribution significative à la compréhension des mécanismes régissant le comportement des membranes biologiques. / This master's thesis is centered on the influence of cholesterol on the interaction of the S100A10 protein with cellular membranes, in the context of macropinocytosis. This process, essential for cellular survival, allows the ingestion of extracellular fluids and plays a key role in regulating critical cellular functions such as immunity, cell migration, and signaling. It is characterized by its ability to allow cells to quickly adapt to environmental changes by ingesting nutrients and responding to various stimuli. This master's thesis focused on dissecting the specific role of the cholesterol in the membrane binding of the S100A10 protein. Initially, the priority was placed on optimizing the overexpression and purification of this protein, using rigorous methodological approaches. These efforts enabled an in-depth probing of the interactions between this protein and different constituents of cellular membranes. The technique of surface tensiometry was particularly revealing, uncovering the significant influence of the presence and concentration of cholesterol on the binding of S100A10 to various membrane phospholipids. Additionally, compression isotherms revealed how cholesterol modifies the compressibility and stability of lipid monolayers. These findings highlighted the importance of membrane architecture in cellular mechanisms involving the S100A10 protein. In summary, this thesis reveals that the modulation of interactions between S100A10 and phospholipids by cholesterol is a complex process, which can have direct repercussions on macropinocytosis. The results of this study make a significant contribution to understanding the mechanisms governing the behavior of biological membranes.

In dieser Arbeit untersuchen wir den Polymorphismus von Biomembranen im Nanometerbereich anhand von Computermodellen. In Kapitel drei werden auf Dissipative Particle Dynamis basierende molekulare Simulationen genutzt, um die Wechselwirkungen zwischen Membranen und Nanotropfen mit hohen Oberflächenspannungen in der Größenordnung von Milli Newton pro Meter zu untersuchen. Wir zeigen, dass Nanotropfen eine negative Linienspannung an der dreiphasigen Kontaktlinie mit der Membran aufweisen. Die negative Linienspannung führt zu einem spontanen Symmetriebruch des Membran-Tropfensystems und zur Bildung eines enggeschlossenen länglichen Membranhalses. In Kapitel vier untersuchen wir Nanotropfen mit niedrigen Grenzflächenspannungen in der Größenordnung von Mikro-Newton pro Meter. Eine Energieminimierung ermöglicht uns, eine Vielzahl von Parametern zu variieren und die Abhängigkeit der Membranbenet-zungsphänomene von der Grenzflächenspannung, der Biegesteifigkeit, der Linienspannung und der spontanen Krümmung systematisch zu bestimmen. Wir beobachten eine neue morphologische Transformation, die sowohl die Vesikel als auch das Tröpfchen betrifft und eine weiter Geometrie mit gebrochener Rotationssymmetrie. Schließlich bestimmen wir die Grenze zwischen symmetrischen und asymmetrischen Kontaktlinien innerhalb des dreidimensionalen Parameterraums bei verschwindender spontanen Krümmung. In Kapitel fünf verwenden wir molekulare Simulationen, um die morphologischen Transformationen einzelner Nanovesikel mit unterschiedlichem Grad an Asymmetrie zwischen den beiden Schichten der Doppelmembranen zu beobachten. Wir beginnen mit kugelförmigen Vesikeln, die ein bestimmtes Wasservolumen einschließen und aus einer bestimmten Gesamtzahl von Lipiden bestehen. Wenn ihr Volumen verringert wird, verwandeln sich die kugelförmigen Vesikel in eine Vielzahl von nicht kugelförmigen Formen. Dieser Polymorphismus kann durch Umverteilung weniger Lipide zwischen der inneren und äußeren Schicht der Membranen kontrolliert werden. / In this thesis, we use computational methods to study polymorphism of biomembranes at the nanoscales. In chapter three, we use molecular simulations based on dissipative particle dynamics to investigate the interaction of membranes with nanodroplets at high interfacial tensions of the order of milli Newton per meter. We find that nanodroplets have negative line tension at the three phase contact line on the membrane. The negative line tension leads to spontaneous symmetry breaking of the membrane-droplet system and formation of a tight-lipped membrane neck. In chapter four, we study nanodroplets with low interfacial tensions of the order of micro Newton per meter. We use energy minimization, which allows us to explore a wide range of parameters and to systemati-cally determine the dependence of membrane wetting phenomena on interfacial tension, bending rigidity, line tension, and spontaneous curvature. We observe a new morphological transformation that involves both vesicles and droplets, leads to another regime with broken rotational symmetry. Finally, we determine the boundary between symmetric and asymmetric contact line geometries within the three-dimensional parameter space in vanishing spontaneous curvature. In chapter five, we use molecular simulations to monitor the morphological transformations of individual nanovesicles with different degrees of asymmetry between the two leaflets of the bilayer membranes. We start with the assembly of spherical vesicles that enclose a certain volume of water and contain a certain total number of lipids. When we reduce their volume, the spherical vesicles transform into a multitude of nonspherical shapes such as oblates and stomatocytes as well as prolates and dumbbells. This polymorphism can be controlled by redistributing a small fraction of lipids between the inner and outer leaflets of the bilayer membranes. As a consequence, the inner and the outer leaflets experience different mechanical tensions.

Endocytosis, a process of plasma membrane invaginations, is a fundamental cellular mechanism, ensuring uptake of nutrients, enhanced communication between cells, protective functions against invasive pathogens and remodelling of the plasma membrane composition. In turn, endocytic mechanisms are exploited by pathogens to enter their host cells. Endocytosis comprises multiple forms of which our molecular understanding has mostly advanced with respect to clathrin-mediated endocytosis and phagocytosis. Studies on the small GTPase Rab5 have provided important insights into the molecular mechanism of endocytosis and transport in the early stages of the endocytic pathways. Rab5 is a key regulator of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, but in addition, localises to several distinct endocytic carriers including phagosomes and pinocytic vesicles. On early endosomes, Rab5 coordinates within a spatially restricted domain enriched in phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate PI(3)P a complex network of effectors, including PI3-Kinase (PI3-K), the FYVE-finger proteins EEA1 and Rabenosyn-5 that functionally cooperate in membrane transport. Moreover, Rab5 regulates endocytosis from the apical and basolateral plasma membrane in polarised epithelial cells. During my PhD thesis, I investigated the molecular mechanisms of endocytosis both in polarised and non-polarised cells. I obtained new insights into the molecular mechanisms of endocytosis and their coordination through the functional characterization of a novel Rab5 effector, termed Rabankyrin-5. I could demonstrated that Rabankyrin-5 is a novel PI(3)P-binding Rab5 effector that localises to early endosomes and stimulates their fusion activity in vitro. The latter activity depends on the oligomerisation of Rabankyrin-5 on the endosomal membrane via the N-terminal BTB/POZ domain. In addition to early endosomes, however, Rabankyrin-5 localises to large vacuolar structures that correspond to macropinosomes in epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Overexpression of Rabankyrin-5 increases the number of macropinosomes and stimulates fluid phase uptake whereas its downregulation through RNA interference inhibits these processes. In polarised epithelial cells, the function of Rabankyrin-5 is primarily restricted to the apical membrane. It localises to large pinocytic structures underneath the apical surface of kidney proximal tubule cells and its overexpression in polarised MDCK cells specifically stimulates apical but not basolateral, non-clathrin mediated pinocytosis. In demonstrating a regulatory role in endosome fusion and (macro)-pinocytosis, my studies suggest that Rab5 regulates and coordinates different endocytic mechanisms through its effector Rabankyrin-5. Furthermore, the active role in apical pinocytosis in epithelial cells suggests an important function of Rabankyrin-5 in the physiology of polarised cells. The results obtained in this thesis are central not only for our understanding of the basic principles underlying the regulation of multiple endocytic mechanisms. They are also relevant for the biomedical field, since actin-dependent (macro)-pinocytosis is an important mechanism for the physiology of cells and organisms and is upregulated under certain pathological conditions (e.g. cancer).

Endocytosis, a process of plasma membrane invaginations, is a fundamental cellular mechanism, ensuring uptake of nutrients, enhanced communication between cells, protective functions against invasive pathogens and remodelling of the plasma membrane composition. In turn, endocytic mechanisms are exploited by pathogens to enter their host cells. Endocytosis comprises multiple forms of which our molecular understanding has mostly advanced with respect to clathrin-mediated endocytosis and phagocytosis. Studies on the small GTPase Rab5 have provided important insights into the molecular mechanism of endocytosis and transport in the early stages of the endocytic pathways. Rab5 is a key regulator of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, but in addition, localises to several distinct endocytic carriers including phagosomes and pinocytic vesicles. On early endosomes, Rab5 coordinates within a spatially restricted domain enriched in phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate PI(3)P a complex network of effectors, including PI3-Kinase (PI3-K), the FYVE-finger proteins EEA1 and Rabenosyn-5 that functionally cooperate in membrane transport. Moreover, Rab5 regulates endocytosis from the apical and basolateral plasma membrane in polarised epithelial cells. During my PhD thesis, I investigated the molecular mechanisms of endocytosis both in polarised and non-polarised cells. I obtained new insights into the molecular mechanisms of endocytosis and their coordination through the functional characterization of a novel Rab5 effector, termed Rabankyrin-5. I could demonstrated that Rabankyrin-5 is a novel PI(3)P-binding Rab5 effector that localises to early endosomes and stimulates their fusion activity in vitro. The latter activity depends on the oligomerisation of Rabankyrin-5 on the endosomal membrane via the N-terminal BTB/POZ domain. In addition to early endosomes, however, Rabankyrin-5 localises to large vacuolar structures that correspond to macropinosomes in epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Overexpression of Rabankyrin-5 increases the number of macropinosomes and stimulates fluid phase uptake whereas its downregulation through RNA interference inhibits these processes. In polarised epithelial cells, the function of Rabankyrin-5 is primarily restricted to the apical membrane. It localises to large pinocytic structures underneath the apical surface of kidney proximal tubule cells and its overexpression in polarised MDCK cells specifically stimulates apical but not basolateral, non-clathrin mediated pinocytosis. In demonstrating a regulatory role in endosome fusion and (macro)-pinocytosis, my studies suggest that Rab5 regulates and coordinates different endocytic mechanisms through its effector Rabankyrin-5. Furthermore, the active role in apical pinocytosis in epithelial cells suggests an important function of Rabankyrin-5 in the physiology of polarised cells. The results obtained in this thesis are central not only for our understanding of the basic principles underlying the regulation of multiple endocytic mechanisms. They are also relevant for the biomedical field, since actin-dependent (macro)-pinocytosis is an important mechanism for the physiology of cells and organisms and is upregulated under certain pathological conditions (e.g. cancer).