FOR 1905:  Structure and Function of the Peroxisomal Translocon (PerTrans)

• Subject Area: Biology
• Term: from 2013 to 2023
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 219314758

Peroxisomes exhibit features, which clearly distinguish them from other cellular organelles, like their ability to import folded proteins or their capability to form de novo. Special features of the peroxisomal protein import machinery are cycling receptors, which shuttle between the cytosol and peroxisomal membrane during protein import. In the cytosol, these receptors recognize and bind their cargo, at the membrane the receptors insert into the lipid bilayer and assemble with other membrane proteins to form the translocon, which as a transient pore allows the translocation of the folded proteins across the membrane. This novel mechanism of protein transport across membranes is in the center of the focus of this research unit. The major aim of this consortium is the elucidation of the structure and function of the translocon of the peroxisomal protein import machinery.During the first funding period the research unit -PerTrans- has made substantial contributions to our current understanding of peroxisomal protein import, including the discovery that PTS1- and PTS2-proteins are imported via distinct import pores, the first STED-microscopy of peroxisomes, and the discovery of two novel peroxisomal import pathways in yeast.The research group focuses on the elucidation of: A) Identity and channel properties of the human translocon for PTS1- and PTS2-proteinsB) Membrane insertion and pore formation of the import receptors C) Structure of the peroxisomal translocon for PTS1-proteinsD) Mechanism of the translocation of folded proteins across the peroxisomal membraneE) Dynamics and regulation of function and assembly of peroxisomal translocons

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: United Kingdom

Projects

• Assembly of the Peroxisomal Translocon (Applicants Erdmann, Ralf ;  Sattler, Michael ;  Wagner, Richard )
• Characterization of the translocation pore of the peroxisomal protein import machinery (Applicants Erdmann, Ralf ;  Meinecke, Michael )
• Dynamics of Peroxisomal Protein Transport (Applicants Eggeling, Christian ;  Platta, Harald )
• Koordinationsfonds (Applicant Erdmann, Ralf )
• Regulation of the peroxisomal protein import pore (Applicants Platta, Harald ;  Warscheid, Bettina )
• Structural biology of the translocation pore of the peroxisomal protein import machinery (Applicants Sattler, Michael ;  Wilmanns, Ph.D., Matthias )
• Structure of the peroxisomal Protein Import Pore: High-Resolution Electron Microscopy (Applicants Gatsogiannis, Christos ;  Raunser, Stefan )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Ralf Erdmann