P09 Structure and mechanisms of membrane protein complexes in mitochondrial membrane organization

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Werner Kühlbrandt
• Subject Area: Structural Biology ; Cell Biology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 401510699

In the present application, we will expand and intensify our cryoEM studies by adopting cryoET of focused ion-beam lamellae of flash-frozen unicellular organisms or mitochondria isolated from different cells and tissues to investigate open questions, in close collaboration with other consortium members. These questions include the distribution and mutual arrangement of the large membrane protein complexes that work as proton pumps and carry out ATP synthesis in the inner membrane cristae, as well as the sequence of events and sites of their assembly. We will resume our studies of how ageing affects mammalian mitochondria at the molecular level, with special attention to the ATP synthase dimers and respiratory chain supercomplexes. Finally, we will continue our successful collaboration on the structure and mechanisms of the dynamin-like mitochondrial GTPases to find out how they mediate mitochondrial dynamics and maintain the shape of mitochondrial cristae.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2848: Nanoscale Architecture and Heterogeneity of the Mitochondrial Inner Membrane