Biology subjects

Ungermann, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Ungermann, C..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Targeting of the Mon1-Ccz1 Rab guanine nucleotide exchange factor to distinct organelles by a synergistic protein and lipid code

Activation of the small GTPase Rab7 by its cognate guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Mon1-Ccz1 (MC1) is a key step in the maturation of endosomes and autophagosomes. This process is tightly regulated and subject to precise spatiotemporal control of MC1 localization. We here identify and characterize an amphipathic helix in Ccz1, which is required for the function of Mon-Ccz1 in autophagy, but not endosomal maturation. Furthermore, our data show that the interaction of the Ccz1 amphipathic helix with lipid packing defects, binding of Mon1 basic patches to positively charged lipids and association of MC1 with recruiter proteins collectively govern membrane recruitment of the complex in a synergistic and redundant manner. The data demonstrate that specific protein and lipid cues convey the differential targeting of MC1 to endosomes and autophagosomes. We reveal the molecular mechanism how MC1 is adapted to recognizes distinct target compartments by exploiting the unique biophysical properties of organelle membranes and thus provide a model how the complex is regulated and activated independently in different functional contexts.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2022

Structure of the lysosomal membrane fusion machinery

Lysosomes are of central importance in cellular recycling, nutrient signaling 1,2 and endocytosis, and are tightly connected to autophagy 3 and the invasion of pathogenic bacteria and viruses 1,4. Lysosomal fusion events are fundamental to cell survival and require HOPS, a conserved heterohexameric tethering complex 5,6. HOPS recognizes and binds small membrane-associated GTPases on lysosomes and organelles, and assembles membrane bound SNAREs for fusion 7,8. Through tethering, HOPS brings membranes in close proximity to each other and significantly increases fusion efficacy by catalysing SNARE assembly. Consequently, different HOPS mutations are causative for severe diseases 6. Despite its fundamental cellular duties, it remained speculative how HOPS fulfils its function as high-resolution structural data were unavailable. Here, we used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the structure of HOPS. In the complex, two central subunits form the backbone and an assembly hub for the functional domains. Two GTPase binding units extend to opposing ends, while the SNARE binding module points to the side, resulting in a triangular shape of the complex. Unlike previously reported, HOPS is surprisingly rigid and extensive flexibility is confined to its extremities. We show that HOPS complex variants with mutations proximal to the backbone can still tether membranes but fail to efficiently promote fusion indicating, that the observed integrity of HOPS is essential to its function. In our model, the core of HOPS acts as a counter bearing between the flexible GTPase binding domains. This positions the SNARE binding module exactly between the GTPase anchored membranes to promote fusion. Our structural and functional analysis reveals the link between the spectacular architecture of HOPS and its mechanism that couples membrane tethering and SNARE assembly, to catalyse lysosomal fusion.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2021

Systematic assessment of the accuracy of subunit counting in biomolecular complexes using automated single molecule brightness analysis

Analysis of single molecule brightness allows subunit counting of high-order oligomeric biomolecular complexes. Although the theory behind the method has been extensively assessed, systematic analysis of the experimental conditions required to accurately quantify the stoichiometry of biological complexes remains challenging. In this work, we develop a high-throughput, automated computational pipeline for single molecule brightness analysis that requires minimal human input. We use this strategy to systematically quantify the accuracy of counting under a wide range of experimental conditions in simulated ground-truth data and then validate its use on experimentally obtained data. Our approach defines a set of conditions under which subunit counting by brightness analysis is designed to work optimally and helps establishing the experimental limits in quantifying the number of subunits in a complex of interest. Finally, we combine these features into a powerful, yet simple, software that can be easily used for the stoichiometry analysis of such complexes.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2021

A yeast lysosomal biogenesis map uncovers the cargo spectrum of lysosomal protein targeting pathways

The lysosome is the major catabolic organelle and a key metabolic signaling center of the cell. Mutations in lysosomal proteins can have catastrophic effects, causing neurodegeneration, cancer, and age-related diseases. The vacuole is the lysosomal analog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that harbors many conserved proteins. Vacuolar proteins reach their destination via the endosomal vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) pathway, via the alkaline phosphatase (ALP or AP-3) pathway, and via the cytosol-to-vacuole transport (CVT) pathway. While these pathways have been extensively studied, a systematic understanding of the cargo spectrum of each pathway is completely lacking. Here we combine quantitative proteomics of purified vacuoles with mutant analyses to generate the lysosomal biogenesis map. This dataset harbors information on the cargo-receptor relationship of virtually all vacuolar proteins. We map binding motifs of Vps10 and the AP-3 complex and identify a novel cargo of the CVT pathway under nutrient-rich conditions. Our data uncover how organelle purification and quantitative proteomics can uncover fundamental insights into organelle biogenesis.

cell biology↗