As fosfolipases A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) catalisam a hidrólise das ligações ácido-éster na posição sn-2 de glicerofosfolipídios liberando, como produto da catálise, ácidos graxos e lisofosfolipídios. Membros da sub-família de fosfolipases A2-Lisina49 (PLA2-Lys49), isolados de venenos de serpentes Viperidae mostram uma substituição do resíduo de aspartato na posição 49 por uma lisina, com a eliminação concomitante da atividade hidrolítica contra fosfolipídeos. Apesar da ausência de atividade catalítica, as PLA2-Lys49 apresentam propriedades farmacológicas variadas incluindo miotoxicidade, e danifica membranas artificiais por um mecanismo Ca2+-independente, que não envolve hidrólise de fosfolipídeos. As PLA2-Lys49 formam homodímeros em solução, e estudos cristalográficos e espectroscópicos de Bothropstoxina-I, uma PLA2-Lys49 do veneno de Bothrops jararacussu, revelaram que a transição na estrutura quaternária do dímero provoca a mudança de posição da região C-terminal, apoiando a sugestão do envolvimento desta região no modelo proposto de danificação da membrana Ca2+-independente. Um papel para a região Cterminal das PLA2-Lys49 também foi sugerido na atividade bactericida observada para esta proteína, e o presente estudo investiga uma possível correlação entre a atividade de danificação de membranas Ca2+-independente e o efeito bactericida. O efeito bactericida de BthTx-I e mutantes da proteína na região C-terminal foi avaliado contra bactéria Escherichia coli (K12). A BthTx-I nativa e recombinante tiposelvagem apresentaram alta atividade bactericida com uma concentração de 5 mg/mL, porém as mutantes Y117W, Y119W, K122A e F125W reduziram significativamente este efeito, mostrando uma correlação entre os determinantes estruturais das atividades bactericida e de danificação em membranas artificiais. Na tentativa de correlacionar o mecanismo de danificação de membranas artificiais com a atividade bactericida de BthTx-I contra linhagem E.coli (K12), um estudo por partição de sondas fluorescentes em compartimentos celulares específicos foi realizado. A sonda hidrofóbica N-fenil-N-naftilamina (NPN) foi utilizada para avaliar a integridade da membrana externa da bactéria e a sonda Sytox Green (SG) para avaliar a integridade da membrana citoplasmática bacteriana. A cinética de permeabilização da membrana externa é rápida e não foi influenciada por mutagênese da região C-terminal da proteína. Entretanto, a cinética de permeabilização da membrana plasmática mostrou-se lenta, com um efeito máximo de 2 horas de ação e identificou os mesmos determinantes estruturais como os identificados para a atividade bactericida de BthTx-I. Resultados obtidos pelas técnicas de citometria de fluxo e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão auxiliaram os dados evidenciando a importância da região C-terminal de BthTx-I na atividade bactericida contra linhagem E.coli. / Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 - EC 3.1.1.4) catalyze the hydrolysis of acid ester bonds at the sn-2 position of glycerophospholipids liberating fatty acids and lysophospholipids as catalysis products. Lysine 49 phospholipase A2 (Lys49-PLA2) are isolated from the venom of viperid snakes, and in these proteins, the aspartic acid at position 49 is replaced by a lysine, resulting in the elimination of hydrolytic activity against phospholipid substrates. Despite the absence of catalytic activity, these Lys49-PLA2s present various pharmacological properties and furthermore damage artificial membranes by a Ca2+-independent mechanism. Lys49- PLA2s form homodimers in solution, and crystallographic and spectroscopic studies of the bothropstoxin-I (BthTx-I), a Lys49-PLA2 isolated from venom of Bothrops jararacussu, reveal that a quaternary structure transition in the homodimer results in a change in the position of the C-terminal loop of the protein, suggesting the involvement of this region in the Ca2+- independent membrane damaging activity. A role for the C-terminal region of Lys49-PLA2 has also been suggested for the bactericidal activity of theses proteins, and using BthTx-I one as a model system, the present study investigates the possible correlation and between the Ca2+-independent membrane damaging and the bactericidal activities. The bactericidal effect of native BthTx-I and site-directed mutants of the C-terminal loop was evaluated using the Gram negative bacteria E. coli strain K12. Both the native and wild type recombinant BthTx-I presented a high bactericidal activity at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, whereas the mutants Y117W, Y119W, K122A and F125W showed significantly reduced the bactericidal effects, showing a correlation between the structural determinants of the bactericidal and membrane damaging activities. The fluorescent probe NPN was used to evaluate the integrity of the external membrane of the bacterial cells after exposure to the BthTx-I and mutants. The permeabilization of the external membrane is complete within 2 minutes, and neither the kinetics nor the extent of membrane damage was influenced by mutagenesis in the C-terminal region. The fluorescent probe Sytox Green (SG) was used to evaluate the integrity of the bacterial plasma membrane, an event which showed a significantly slower kinetic, with a maximum effect observed after two hours exposure to the BthTx-I. Furthermore, the extent of the membrane damage is influenced by mutagenesis in the C-terminal loop, and the structural determinants for the bactericidal activity of BthTx-I are the same as those that determine the permeabilization of the bacterial plasma membrane. Evidence obtained using flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy support of the suggestion that the C-terminal region of BthTx-I is an important structural determinant of the plasma membrane damaging bactericidal activities.

Da eine Vielzahl von Proteininteraktionen innerhalb zellulärer Organismen an der Grenzfläche zu Membranen stattfindet, ist die Untersuchung dieser Prozesse von gro-ßem wissenschaftlichem Interesse. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es Modellsysteme basierend auf artifiziellen Membranen zu entwickeln, mit deren Hilfe die Untersuchung ausge-wählter Proteininteraktionen ermöglicht werden konnte. Im ersten Abschnitt dieser Arbeit (Kapitel 4-6) wurde ein Biosensorassay basierend auf festköperunterstützten Membranen entwickelt, der die Quantifizierung der Interaktion von C-Polycystin-2 (cPC2) mit seinen Interaktionspartnern C-Polycystin-1 (cPC1) und PIGEA14 mittels der Quarzmikrowaagetechnik ermöglichte. Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass die Affinität von cPC2 zu cPC1 in Anwesenheit von Ca2+ dreifach höher war, wurde eine Ca2+ abhängige Trimerisierung von cPC2 postuliert. Die Unterschiede der ermittelten kinetischen Koeffizienten führten zur Entwicklung eines Bindunsgmodells, welches die dreistufige Adsorption von cPC2 an cPC1 in Abwesenheit bzw. einstufige Adsorption in Anwesenheit von Ca2+ implizierte. Im Falle der Interaktion von cPC2 mit PIGEA14 wurde die Abhänigkeit der cPC2 Bindung von der Pseudophosphorylie-rung des Proteins an Ser812 untersucht. Es wurde festgestellt, dass die Affinität der pseudophosphorylierten Mutante cPC2S812D zu PIGEA14 zweifach niedriger war, als die von cPC2wt. Im zweiten Abschnitt der Arbeit (Kapitel 7 und 8) wurde die spezifische Wechselwir-kung von filamentösem Aktin (F-Aktin) mit festkörperunterstützten und porenüber-spannenden Membranen untersucht. Die kontrollierte Anbindung von F-Aktin in und auf porösen Aluminiumoxidfilmen konnte mit Hilfe verschiedener Funktionalisie-rungsstrategien erzielt werden. Der Einfluss eines F-Aktin Netzwerks auf die Span-nung und viskoelastischen Eigenschaften porenüberspannender Membranen wurde mittels kraftmikroskopischer Studien untersucht. Es wurde nachgewiesen, dass der Einfluss von gebundenem F-Aktin auf die Membranspannung gering war, aber erst durch die F-Aktin Adhäsion viskoelastische Membraneigenschaften induziert wurden.

As fosfolipases A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) catalisam a hidrólise das ligações ácido-éster na posição sn-2 de glicerofosfolipídios liberando, como produto da catálise, ácidos graxos e lisofosfolipídios. Membros da sub-família de fosfolipases A2-Lisina49 (PLA2-Lys49), isolados de venenos de serpentes Viperidae mostram uma substituição do resíduo de aspartato na posição 49 por uma lisina, com a eliminação concomitante da atividade hidrolítica contra fosfolipídeos. Apesar da ausência de atividade catalítica, as PLA2-Lys49 apresentam propriedades farmacológicas variadas incluindo miotoxicidade, e danifica membranas artificiais por um mecanismo Ca2+-independente, que não envolve hidrólise de fosfolipídeos. As PLA2-Lys49 formam homodímeros em solução, e estudos cristalográficos e espectroscópicos de Bothropstoxina-I, uma PLA2-Lys49 do veneno de Bothrops jararacussu, revelaram que a transição na estrutura quaternária do dímero provoca a mudança de posição da região C-terminal, apoiando a sugestão do envolvimento desta região no modelo proposto de danificação da membrana Ca2+-independente. Um papel para a região Cterminal das PLA2-Lys49 também foi sugerido na atividade bactericida observada para esta proteína, e o presente estudo investiga uma possível correlação entre a atividade de danificação de membranas Ca2+-independente e o efeito bactericida. O efeito bactericida de BthTx-I e mutantes da proteína na região C-terminal foi avaliado contra bactéria Escherichia coli (K12). A BthTx-I nativa e recombinante tiposelvagem apresentaram alta atividade bactericida com uma concentração de 5 mg/mL, porém as mutantes Y117W, Y119W, K122A e F125W reduziram significativamente este efeito, mostrando uma correlação entre os determinantes estruturais das atividades bactericida e de danificação em membranas artificiais. Na tentativa de correlacionar o mecanismo de danificação de membranas artificiais com a atividade bactericida de BthTx-I contra linhagem E.coli (K12), um estudo por partição de sondas fluorescentes em compartimentos celulares específicos foi realizado. A sonda hidrofóbica N-fenil-N-naftilamina (NPN) foi utilizada para avaliar a integridade da membrana externa da bactéria e a sonda Sytox Green (SG) para avaliar a integridade da membrana citoplasmática bacteriana. A cinética de permeabilização da membrana externa é rápida e não foi influenciada por mutagênese da região C-terminal da proteína. Entretanto, a cinética de permeabilização da membrana plasmática mostrou-se lenta, com um efeito máximo de 2 horas de ação e identificou os mesmos determinantes estruturais como os identificados para a atividade bactericida de BthTx-I. Resultados obtidos pelas técnicas de citometria de fluxo e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão auxiliaram os dados evidenciando a importância da região C-terminal de BthTx-I na atividade bactericida contra linhagem E.coli. / Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 - EC 3.1.1.4) catalyze the hydrolysis of acid ester bonds at the sn-2 position of glycerophospholipids liberating fatty acids and lysophospholipids as catalysis products. Lysine 49 phospholipase A2 (Lys49-PLA2) are isolated from the venom of viperid snakes, and in these proteins, the aspartic acid at position 49 is replaced by a lysine, resulting in the elimination of hydrolytic activity against phospholipid substrates. Despite the absence of catalytic activity, these Lys49-PLA2s present various pharmacological properties and furthermore damage artificial membranes by a Ca2+-independent mechanism. Lys49- PLA2s form homodimers in solution, and crystallographic and spectroscopic studies of the bothropstoxin-I (BthTx-I), a Lys49-PLA2 isolated from venom of Bothrops jararacussu, reveal that a quaternary structure transition in the homodimer results in a change in the position of the C-terminal loop of the protein, suggesting the involvement of this region in the Ca2+- independent membrane damaging activity. A role for the C-terminal region of Lys49-PLA2 has also been suggested for the bactericidal activity of theses proteins, and using BthTx-I one as a model system, the present study investigates the possible correlation and between the Ca2+-independent membrane damaging and the bactericidal activities. The bactericidal effect of native BthTx-I and site-directed mutants of the C-terminal loop was evaluated using the Gram negative bacteria E. coli strain K12. Both the native and wild type recombinant BthTx-I presented a high bactericidal activity at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, whereas the mutants Y117W, Y119W, K122A and F125W showed significantly reduced the bactericidal effects, showing a correlation between the structural determinants of the bactericidal and membrane damaging activities. The fluorescent probe NPN was used to evaluate the integrity of the external membrane of the bacterial cells after exposure to the BthTx-I and mutants. The permeabilization of the external membrane is complete within 2 minutes, and neither the kinetics nor the extent of membrane damage was influenced by mutagenesis in the C-terminal region. The fluorescent probe Sytox Green (SG) was used to evaluate the integrity of the bacterial plasma membrane, an event which showed a significantly slower kinetic, with a maximum effect observed after two hours exposure to the BthTx-I. Furthermore, the extent of the membrane damage is influenced by mutagenesis in the C-terminal loop, and the structural determinants for the bactericidal activity of BthTx-I are the same as those that determine the permeabilization of the bacterial plasma membrane. Evidence obtained using flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy support of the suggestion that the C-terminal region of BthTx-I is an important structural determinant of the plasma membrane damaging bactericidal activities.

Les mécanismes moléculaires impliqués dans la fusion membranaire ont été amplement étudiés au cours des trente dernières années. Notre compréhension actuelle de ce phénomène est principalement basée sur des résultats obtenus par (1) le développement de modèles physiques décrivant la fusion des membranes biologiques, (2) l’étude mécanistique et structurale des protéines de fusion membranaire des virus à enveloppe et (3) l’étude des évènements de fusion intracellulaire médiés par les protéines SNARES dans les cellules eucaryotes. La découverte du complexe SNARE fut l’aboutissement de travaux interdisciplinaires qui ont exigés un large éventail de techniques tel que la génétique de la levure, l’électrophysiologie, la biologie moléculaire, la biochimie cellulaire, la biophysique expérimentale et l’imagerie. Tirant parti des paradigmes et techniques biophysiques qui ont émergés de ces études, nous avons examiné les fonctions et mécanismes de régulation des domaines « coiled-coil » dans les processus de fusion intracellulaire impliquant des protéines de la famille des Longin-SNAREs ou des Mitofusines, deux machineries protéiques de fusion dont le mode d’action exact reste encore peu clair. La conception exacte des mécanismes moléculaires de la fusion membranaire requiert la reconstitution in vitro des protéines de fusion dans un large spectre d’environnement membranaire avec des propriétés biophysiques définies et facilement modulables. Idéalement, ces systèmes membranaires devraient permettre à l’expérimentateur de contrôler la composition lipidique et protéique, ainsi que la topologie membranaire, afin de rendre compte de l’importante variabilité observée entre les différents compartiments de fusion cellulaire. La reconstitution dans des liposomes offre une incroyable flexibilité avec la possibilité de faire varier la plupart des paramètres clefs et de créer un environnement minimal dans lequel les facteurs solubles et/ou membranaires peuvent être ajoutés, seuls ou en combinaison, pour dévoiler leur rôle avec clarté. Nous avons mis au point des systèmes in vitro de reconstitution de protéines dans des plateformes membranaires artificielles pour nos deux systèmes d’études (les deux protéines Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP et Sec 22b, ainsi que les domaines « coiled-coil » des Mitofusines) et nous avons réalisé des expériences biochimiques pour caractériser le mode d’action de ces protéines. L’objectif à long-terme de ce projet est de comparer les mécanismes moléculaires des machineries de fusion associés aux protéines SNAREs et Mitofusines, et ainsi de dévoiler des similitudes structurelles et fonctionnelles entre (1) leur protéines de fusion principales et (2) leur facteurs régulateurs. / The molecular mechanisms involved in membrane fusion have been extensively studied for the past thirty years. Our current understanding of this phenomenon is mainly based on results obtained by (i) the development of physical models describing the fusion of membranes, (ii) structural and mechanistic investigations on fusion proteins of enveloped viruses and (iii) studies of SNARE protein-mediated intracellular fusion events of eukaryotic cells. Discovery of the SNARE complex was the outcome of interdisciplinary works which involved a wide range of techniques including yeast genetics, electrophysiology, molecular biology, cell-free biochemistry, adhesion/fusion biophysics and imaging. Taking advantage of the paradigms and biophysical techniques that emerged from these studies, we investigated the function and regulation of coiled-coil domains in intracellular fusion processes involving Longin-SNAREs or Mitofusins, two fusion protein machineries whose exact mode of action still remains unclear. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of membrane fusion requires the in vitro reconstitution of fusion proteins into a wide variety of membrane environments with defined and tunable biophysical properties. Ideally, these membrane systems should allow the experimentalists to control the lipid and protein composition as well as the membrane topology, to account for the variability observed across cellular fusing compartments. Reconstitution into liposomes offers amazing flexibility with the capacity to vary most of these relevant parameters, and to create a minimal environment in which membrane and/or soluble factors can be added, one at a time or in combination, to reveal their role with clarity. We have set up the in vitro reconstitution of proteins into various artificial membrane platforms for both systems (the Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP and Sec22b and the coiled-coil domains of Mitofusins) and performed biochemical assays to gain insight into how these proteins execute their functions. The long-term goal of this project is to compare the molecular mechanisms of SNARE and Mitofusin fusion machineries and thus reveal structural and functional similitudes between (i) their core fusion proteins, and (ii) their regulatory factors.

Les mécanismes moléculaires impliqués dans la fusion membranaire ont été amplement étudiés au cours des trente dernières années. Notre compréhension actuelle de ce phénomène est principalement basée sur des résultats obtenus par (1) le développement de modèles physiques décrivant la fusion des membranes biologiques, (2) l’étude mécanistique et structurale des protéines de fusion membranaire des virus à enveloppe et (3) l’étude des évènements de fusion intracellulaire médiés par les protéines SNARES dans les cellules eucaryotes. La découverte du complexe SNARE fut l’aboutissement de travaux interdisciplinaires qui ont exigés un large éventail de techniques tel que la génétique de la levure, l’électrophysiologie, la biologie moléculaire, la biochimie cellulaire, la biophysique expérimentale et l’imagerie. Tirant parti des paradigmes et techniques biophysiques qui ont émergés de ces études, nous avons examiné les fonctions et mécanismes de régulation des domaines « coiled-coil » dans les processus de fusion intracellulaire impliquant des protéines de la famille des Longin-SNAREs ou des Mitofusines, deux machineries protéiques de fusion dont le mode d’action exact reste encore peu clair. La conception exacte des mécanismes moléculaires de la fusion membranaire requiert la reconstitution in vitro des protéines de fusion dans un large spectre d’environnement membranaire avec des propriétés biophysiques définies et facilement modulables. Idéalement, ces systèmes membranaires devraient permettre à l’expérimentateur de contrôler la composition lipidique et protéique, ainsi que la topologie membranaire, afin de rendre compte de l’importante variabilité observée entre les différents compartiments de fusion cellulaire. La reconstitution dans des liposomes offre une incroyable flexibilité avec la possibilité de faire varier la plupart des paramètres clefs et de créer un environnement minimal dans lequel les facteurs solubles et/ou membranaires peuvent être ajoutés, seuls ou en combinaison, pour dévoiler leur rôle avec clarté. Nous avons mis au point des systèmes in vitro de reconstitution de protéines dans des plateformes membranaires artificielles pour nos deux systèmes d’études (les deux protéines Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP et Sec 22b, ainsi que les domaines « coiled-coil » des Mitofusines) et nous avons réalisé des expériences biochimiques pour caractériser le mode d’action de ces protéines. L’objectif à long-terme de ce projet est de comparer les mécanismes moléculaires des machineries de fusion associés aux protéines SNAREs et Mitofusines, et ainsi de dévoiler des similitudes structurelles et fonctionnelles entre (1) leur protéines de fusion principales et (2) leur facteurs régulateurs. / The molecular mechanisms involved in membrane fusion have been extensively studied for the past thirty years. Our current understanding of this phenomenon is mainly based on results obtained by (i) the development of physical models describing the fusion of membranes, (ii) structural and mechanistic investigations on fusion proteins of enveloped viruses and (iii) studies of SNARE protein-mediated intracellular fusion events of eukaryotic cells. Discovery of the SNARE complex was the outcome of interdisciplinary works which involved a wide range of techniques including yeast genetics, electrophysiology, molecular biology, cell-free biochemistry, adhesion/fusion biophysics and imaging. Taking advantage of the paradigms and biophysical techniques that emerged from these studies, we investigated the function and regulation of coiled-coil domains in intracellular fusion processes involving Longin-SNAREs or Mitofusins, two fusion protein machineries whose exact mode of action still remains unclear. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of membrane fusion requires the in vitro reconstitution of fusion proteins into a wide variety of membrane environments with defined and tunable biophysical properties. Ideally, these membrane systems should allow the experimentalists to control the lipid and protein composition as well as the membrane topology, to account for the variability observed across cellular fusing compartments. Reconstitution into liposomes offers amazing flexibility with the capacity to vary most of these relevant parameters, and to create a minimal environment in which membrane and/or soluble factors can be added, one at a time or in combination, to reveal their role with clarity. We have set up the in vitro reconstitution of proteins into various artificial membrane platforms for both systems (the Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP and Sec22b and the coiled-coil domains of Mitofusins) and performed biochemical assays to gain insight into how these proteins execute their functions. The long-term goal of this project is to compare the molecular mechanisms of SNARE and Mitofusin fusion machineries and thus reveal structural and functional similitudes between (i) their core fusion proteins, and (ii) their regulatory factors.

Les mécanismes moléculaires impliqués dans la fusion membranaire ont été amplement étudiés au cours des trente dernières années. Notre compréhension actuelle de ce phénomène est principalement basée sur des résultats obtenus par (1) le développement de modèles physiques décrivant la fusion des membranes biologiques, (2) l’étude mécanistique et structurale des protéines de fusion membranaire des virus à enveloppe et (3) l’étude des évènements de fusion intracellulaire médiés par les protéines SNARES dans les cellules eucaryotes. La découverte du complexe SNARE fut l’aboutissement de travaux interdisciplinaires qui ont exigés un large éventail de techniques tel que la génétique de la levure, l’électrophysiologie, la biologie moléculaire, la biochimie cellulaire, la biophysique expérimentale et l’imagerie. Tirant parti des paradigmes et techniques biophysiques qui ont émergés de ces études, nous avons examiné les fonctions et mécanismes de régulation des domaines « coiled-coil » dans les processus de fusion intracellulaire impliquant des protéines de la famille des Longin-SNAREs ou des Mitofusines, deux machineries protéiques de fusion dont le mode d’action exact reste encore peu clair. La conception exacte des mécanismes moléculaires de la fusion membranaire requiert la reconstitution in vitro des protéines de fusion dans un large spectre d’environnement membranaire avec des propriétés biophysiques définies et facilement modulables. Idéalement, ces systèmes membranaires devraient permettre à l’expérimentateur de contrôler la composition lipidique et protéique, ainsi que la topologie membranaire, afin de rendre compte de l’importante variabilité observée entre les différents compartiments de fusion cellulaire. La reconstitution dans des liposomes offre une incroyable flexibilité avec la possibilité de faire varier la plupart des paramètres clefs et de créer un environnement minimal dans lequel les facteurs solubles et/ou membranaires peuvent être ajoutés, seuls ou en combinaison, pour dévoiler leur rôle avec clarté. Nous avons mis au point des systèmes in vitro de reconstitution de protéines dans des plateformes membranaires artificielles pour nos deux systèmes d’études (les deux protéines Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP et Sec 22b, ainsi que les domaines « coiled-coil » des Mitofusines) et nous avons réalisé des expériences biochimiques pour caractériser le mode d’action de ces protéines. L’objectif à long-terme de ce projet est de comparer les mécanismes moléculaires des machineries de fusion associés aux protéines SNAREs et Mitofusines, et ainsi de dévoiler des similitudes structurelles et fonctionnelles entre (1) leur protéines de fusion principales et (2) leur facteurs régulateurs. / The molecular mechanisms involved in membrane fusion have been extensively studied for the past thirty years. Our current understanding of this phenomenon is mainly based on results obtained by (i) the development of physical models describing the fusion of membranes, (ii) structural and mechanistic investigations on fusion proteins of enveloped viruses and (iii) studies of SNARE protein-mediated intracellular fusion events of eukaryotic cells. Discovery of the SNARE complex was the outcome of interdisciplinary works which involved a wide range of techniques including yeast genetics, electrophysiology, molecular biology, cell-free biochemistry, adhesion/fusion biophysics and imaging. Taking advantage of the paradigms and biophysical techniques that emerged from these studies, we investigated the function and regulation of coiled-coil domains in intracellular fusion processes involving Longin-SNAREs or Mitofusins, two fusion protein machineries whose exact mode of action still remains unclear. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of membrane fusion requires the in vitro reconstitution of fusion proteins into a wide variety of membrane environments with defined and tunable biophysical properties. Ideally, these membrane systems should allow the experimentalists to control the lipid and protein composition as well as the membrane topology, to account for the variability observed across cellular fusing compartments. Reconstitution into liposomes offers amazing flexibility with the capacity to vary most of these relevant parameters, and to create a minimal environment in which membrane and/or soluble factors can be added, one at a time or in combination, to reveal their role with clarity. We have set up the in vitro reconstitution of proteins into various artificial membrane platforms for both systems (the Longin-SNAREs TI-VAMP and Sec22b and the coiled-coil domains of Mitofusins) and performed biochemical assays to gain insight into how these proteins execute their functions. The long-term goal of this project is to compare the molecular mechanisms of SNARE and Mitofusin fusion machineries and thus reveal structural and functional similitudes between (i) their core fusion proteins, and (ii) their regulatory factors.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.