Rajendra Kumar Angara, Margaret F Sladek, Stacey D Gilk
{"title":"ER-LD Membrane Contact Sites: A Budding Area in the Pathogen Survival Strategy.","authors":"Rajendra Kumar Angara, Margaret F Sladek, Stacey D Gilk","doi":"10.1177/25152564241304196","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241304196","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lipid droplets (LDs) are essential organelles involved in lipid synthesis, storage, and transport. Physical membrane contacts between the ER and LDs facilitate lipid and protein exchange and thus play a critical role in regulating cellular lipid homeostasis. Recent research has revealed that ER-LD membrane contact sites are targeted by pathogens seeking to exploit host lipid metabolic processes. Both viruses and bacteria manipulate ER-LD membrane contact sites to enhance their replication and survival within the host. This review discusses the research advancements elucidating the mechanisms by which pathogens manipulate the ER-LD contacts through protein molecular mimicry and host cell protein manipulation, thereby hijacking host lipid metabolic processes to facilitate pathogenesis. Understanding the crosstalk between ER and LDs during infection provides deeper insight into host lipid regulation and uncovers potential therapeutic targets for treating infectious diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241304196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11653285/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142857512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Store-Operated Ca<sup>2+</sup> Entry in Fibrosis and Tissue Remodeling.","authors":"Ahmed Emam Abdelnaby, Mohamed Trebak","doi":"10.1177/25152564241291374","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241291374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fibrosis is a pathological condition characterized by excessive tissue deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, leading to scarring and impaired function across multiple organ systems. This complex process is mediated by a dynamic interplay between cell types, including myofibroblasts, fibroblasts, immune cells, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells, each contributing distinctively through various signaling pathways. Critical to the regulatory mechanisms involved in fibrosis is store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a calcium entry pathway into the cytosol active at the endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites and common to all cells. This review addresses the multifactorial nature of fibrosis with a focus on the pivotal roles of different cell types. We highlight the essential functions of myofibroblasts in ECM production, the transformation of fibroblasts, and the participation of immune cells in modulating the fibrotic landscape. We emphasize the contributions of SOCE in these different cell types to fibrosis, by exploring the involvement of SOCE in cellular functions such as proliferation, migration, secretion, and inflammatory responses. The examination of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis and the role of SOCE in these mechanisms offers the potential of targeting SOCE as a therapeutic strategy for mitigating or reversing fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241291374"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11629433/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142808984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Better Together: Interorganellar Communication in the Regulation of Proteostasis.","authors":"Andreas Kohler, Verena Kohler","doi":"10.1177/25152564241272245","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241272245","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An extensive network of chaperones and folding factors is responsible for maintaining a functional proteome, which is the basis for cellular life. The underlying proteostatic mechanisms are not isolated within organelles, rather they are connected over organellar borders via signalling processes or direct association via contact sites. This review aims to provide a conceptual understanding of proteostatic mechanisms across organelle borders, not focussing on individual organelles. This discussion highlights the precision of these finely tuned systems, emphasising the complicated balance between cellular protection and adaptation to stress. In this review, we discuss widely accepted aspects while shedding light on newly discovered perspectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241272245"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11462569/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142396602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mitochondria, Peroxisomes and Beyond-How Dual Targeting Regulates Organelle Tethering.","authors":"Johannes Freitag, Thorsten Stehlik, Gert Bange","doi":"10.1177/25152564241264254","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241264254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Eukaryotic cells feature distinct membrane-enclosed organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes, each playing vital roles in cellular function and organization. These organelles are linked at membrane contact sites, facilitating interorganellar molecule and ion exchange. Most contact-forming proteins identified to date are membrane proteins or membrane-associated proteins, which can form very stable contacts. Recent findings suggest additional mechanistically distinct tethering events that arise from dual protein targeting. Proteins bearing targeting signals for multiple organelles, such as an <i>N</i>-terminal signal for mitochondria and a <i>C</i>-terminal signal for peroxisomes, function as tethers, fostering contacts by engaging targeting factors at both organelles. A number of dually targeted membrane proteins can contribute to contact site formation and transit from one organelle to the other as well. These interactions may enable the fine-tuning of organelle proximity, hence, adapting connections to meet varying physiological demands.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241264254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11447717/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142373985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Erratum to \"Not so Rare: Diseases based on Mutant Proteins Controlling Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Contact (MERC) Tethering\".","authors":"","doi":"10.1177/25152564241276081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/25152564241276081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/25152564241261228.].</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241276081"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11423377/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142335939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Getting to Grips with the Oxysterol-Binding Protein Family - a Forty Year Perspective.","authors":"Vesa M Olkkonen, Elina Ikonen","doi":"10.1177/25152564241273598","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/25152564241273598","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This review discusses how research around the oxysterol-binding protein family has evolved. We briefly summarize how this protein family, designated OSBP-related (ORP) or OSBP-like (OSBPL) proteins, was discovered, how protein domains highly conserved among family members between taxa paved the way for understanding their mechanisms of action, and how insights into protein structural and functional features help to understand their versatility as lipid transporters. We also discuss questions and future avenues of research opened by these findings. The investigations on oxysterol-binding protein family serve as a real-life example of the notion that science often advances as a collective effort of multiple lines of enquiry, including serendipitous routes. While original articles invariably explain the motivation of the research undertaken in rational terms, the actual paths to findings may be less intentional. Fortunately, this does not reduce the impact of the discoveries made. Besides hopefully providing a useful account of ORP family proteins, we aim to convey this message.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241273598"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11359446/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142117029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recent Advances on Synaptotagmin-Like Mitochondrial-Lipid Binding Protein Domain Containing Lipid Transfer Proteins.","authors":"Xuewen Hu, Yirui Cai, Wei-Ke Ji","doi":"10.1177/25152564241273646","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241273646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Synaptotagmin-like mitochondrial-lipid binding protein (SMP) domain is found in a group of ER-resident lipid transfer proteins that are recruited to membrane contact sites (MCSs) by adaptors. Deciphering the molecular basis underlying the recruitment of SMP proteins to specific MCS sheds light not only on their cellular localization but also on their biological functions at these sites. Here we summarize recent advances in SMP domain-containing lipid transfer proteins, focusing on a recent study showing the localization, regulation and cellular function of a specific SMP protein named testis expressed protein 2 (Tex2). TMEM55, a potential PIP phosphatase on late endosome/lysosomal (LE/lys) membranes, was identified as an adaptor that enables the recruitment of Tex2 to ER- LE/lys MCS. In addition, we have summarized several important questions about the regulation and physiological functions of Tex2 that remained unanswered.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241273646"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11320393/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141977618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Not So Rare: Diseases Based on Mutant Proteins Controlling Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Contact (MERC) Tethering.","authors":"Tadashi Makio, Thomas Simmen","doi":"10.1177/25152564241261228","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241261228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contacts (MERCs), also called endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria contact sites (ERMCS), are the membrane domains, where these two organelles exchange lipids, Ca<sup>2+</sup> ions, and reactive oxygen species. This crosstalk is a major determinant of cell metabolism, since it allows the ER to control mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and the Krebs cycle, while conversely, it allows the mitochondria to provide sufficient ATP to control ER proteostasis. MERC metabolic signaling is under the control of tethers and a multitude of regulatory proteins. Many of these proteins have recently been discovered to give rise to rare diseases if their genes are mutated. Surprisingly, these diseases share important hallmarks and cause neurological defects, sometimes paired with, or replaced by skeletal muscle deficiency. Typical symptoms include developmental delay, intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism and ophthalmologic defects. Seizures, epilepsy, deafness, ataxia, or peripheral neuropathy can also occur upon mutation of a MERC protein. Given that most MERC tethers and regulatory proteins have secondary functions, some MERC protein-based diseases do not fit into this categorization. Typically, however, the proteins affected in those diseases have dominant functions unrelated to their roles in MERCs tethering or their regulation. We are discussing avenues to pharmacologically target genetic diseases leading to MERC defects, based on our novel insight that MERC defects lead to common characteristics in rare diseases. These shared characteristics of MERCs disorders raise the hope that they may allow for similar treatment options.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241261228"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11273598/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141790883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spartin is a Lipid Transfer Protein That Facilitates Lipid Droplet Turnover.","authors":"Yaoyang Zhong, Tim P Levine","doi":"10.1177/25152564241255782","DOIUrl":"10.1177/25152564241255782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One means by which cells reutilize neutral lipids stored in lipid droplets is to degrade them by autophagy. This process involves spartin, mutations of which cause the rare inherited disorder Troyer syndrome (or spastic paraplegia-20, SPG20). A recently published paper from the team led by Karin Reinsich (Yale) suggests that the molecular function of spartin and its unique highly conserved \"senescence\" domain is as a lipid transfer protein. Spartin binds to and transfers all lipid species found in lipid droplets, from phospholipids to triglycerides and sterol esters. This lipid transfer activity correlates with spartin's ability to sustain lipid droplet turnover. The senescence domain poses an intriguing question around the wide range of its cargoes, but intriguingly it has yet to yield up its secrets because attempts at crystallization failed and AlphaFold's prediction is unconvincing.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241255782"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11131387/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141163125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Contacting the gut: Mitochondria-associated Endoplasmic Reticulum Membranes in the Enteric Nervous System.","authors":"Jenny Greig, Giada Delfino, Pascal Derkinderen, Sébastien Paillusson","doi":"10.1177/25152564241244941","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/25152564241244941","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Changes in the connections between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, as well as alterations in mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM) signalling, have been documented in various neurodegenerative diseases affecting the brain. Despite the growing recognition of the significance of the gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative conditions, there has been no prior investigation into the biology of MAM within the enteric nervous system (ENS). Our recent research reveals, for the first time, the existence of connections between the ER and mitochondria within enteric neurons. Additionally, we observed alterations in the dynamics of these connections in the enteric neurons from a mouse model exhibiting age-related neurodegeneration. These findings provide the first detailed characterization of MAM in the ENS under physiological conditions and in a mouse model of age-associated neurodegeneration and shed new light on the potential role of enteric MAM in the context of neurodegenerative disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":101304,"journal":{"name":"Contact (Thousand Oaks (Ventura County, Calif.))","volume":"7 ","pages":"25152564241244941"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10998439/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140856921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}