Yeast Vps13 promotes mitochondrial function and is localized at membrane contact sites

Suppression of plastid-to-nucleus gene transfer by DNA double-strand break repair

Plant nuclear genomes contain thousands of genes of mitochondrial and plastid origin as the result of endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT). EGT is a still-ongoing process, but the molecular mechanisms determining its frequency remain largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that nuclear double-strand break (DSB) repair is a strong suppressor of EGT. Through large-scale genetic screens in tobacco plants, we found that EGT from plastids to the nucleus occurs more frequently in somatic cells when individual DSB repair pathways are inactive. This effect is explained by the expected increase in the number and residence time of DSBs available as integration sites for organellar DNA. We also show that impaired DSB repair causes EGT to increase 5- to 20-fold in the male gametophyte. Together, our data (1) uncover DSB levels as a key determinant of EGT frequency, (2) reveal the strong mutagenic potential of organellar DNA and (3) suggest that changes in DNA repair capacity can impact EGT across evolutionary timescales.

A brief history of phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins: from the backwaters of cell biology to prime time in lipid signaling

How lipids are sorted between intracellular compartments and what mechanisms support inter-organellar lipid transport define questions that have enjoyed long-standing interest in the cell biology community. Despite tantalizing evidence to the effect that lipids can move between organelles independently of standard modes of vesicular membrane trafficking through the secretory pathway, biochemical dissection of these non-vesicular pathways was initially fraught with experimental challenges. Many of the obstacles have now been overcome and, following initial breakthroughs, the last two decades have witnessed a renaissance in the field of lipid trafficking. Indeed, lipid trafficking and mobilization are now significant components of any discussion regarding secretory vesicle trafficking, organelle biogenesis, agonist-stimulated lipid signaling, and inter-compartmental communication pathways that involve every organelle in the eukaryotic cell. In accord with the theme of this special issue, we focus on the topic of soluble lipid transfer proteins that interface with the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) and its phosphorylated derivatives - the phosphoinositides. Although phosphoinositides are quantitatively minor lipids in cells, these molecules represent the chemical codes for a major pathway of intracellular signaling in all eukaryotic cells. It is now clear that soluble PtdIns transfer proteins (PITPs) are physiologically critical regulators of specific pathways of phosphoinositide - particularly PtdIns-4-phosphate - signaling. The 'where' PITPs determine the biological outcomes of phosphoinositide signaling, and the 'how' by which PITPs do so, represent increasingly active areas of research in contemporary cell biology. It is these issues we explore from a historical perspective with a focus on the Sec14-like PITPs.

BLTP3A is associated with membranes of the late endocytic pathway and is an effector of CASM

Recent studies have identified a family of rod-shaped proteins thought to mediate lipid transfer at intracellular membrane contacts by a bridge-like mechanism. We show one such protein, bridge-like lipid transfer protein 3A (BLTP3A)/UHRF1BP1 binds VAMP7 vesicles via its C-terminal region and anchors them to lysosomes via its chorein domain containing N-terminal region to Rab7. Upon lysosome damage, BLTP3A-positive vesicles rapidly (within minutes) dissociate from lysosomes. Lysosome damage is known to activate the CASM (Conjugation of ATG8 to Single Membranes) pathway leading to lipidation and recruitment to lysosomes of mammalian ATG8 (mATG8) proteins. We find that this process drives the reassociation of BLTP3A with damaged lysosomes via an interaction of its LIR motif with mATG8 which coincides with a dissociation from the vesicles. Our findings reveal that BLTP3A is an effector of CASM, potentially as part of a mechanism to help repair or minimize lysosome damage.

Neurodegenerative and Neurodevelopmental Roles for Bulk Lipid Transporters VPS13A and BLTP2

BACKGROUND

Bridge-like lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs) mediate bulk lipid transport at membrane contact sites. Mutations in BLTPs are linked to both early-onset neurodevelopmental and later-onset neurodegenerative diseases, including movement disorders. The tissue specificity and temporal requirements of BLTPs in disease pathogenesis remain poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine tissue-specific and aging-dependent roles for VPS13A and BLTP2 using Drosophila models.

METHODS

We generated tissue-specific knockdowns of the VPS13A ortholog (Vps13) and the BLTP2 ortholog (hobbit) in neurons and muscles of Drosophila. We analyzed age-dependent locomotor behavior, neurodegeneration, and synapse development and function.

RESULTS

Neuron-specific loss of the VPS13A ortholog caused neurodegeneration followed by aging-dependent movement deficits and reduced lifespan, whereas muscle-specific loss affected only lifespan. In contrast, neuronal loss of the BLTP2 ortholog resulted in severe early-onset locomotor defects without neurodegeneration, whereas muscle loss impaired synaptogenesis and neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction.

CONCLUSIONS

VPS13A maintains neuronal survival, whereas BLTP2 orchestrates synaptic development. The phenotypic specificity of BLTP function provides mechanistic insights into distinct disease trajectories for BLTP-associated disorders. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Hoi1 targets the yeast BLTP2 protein to ER-PM contact sites to regulate lipid homeostasis

Membrane contact sites between organelles are important for maintaining cellular lipid homeostasis. Members of the recently identified family of bridge-like lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs) span opposing membranes at these contact sites to enable the rapid transfer of bulk lipids between organelles. While the VPS13 and ATG2 family members use organelle-specific adaptors for membrane targeting, the mechanisms that regulate other bridge-like transporters remain unknown. Here, we identify the conserved protein Ybl086c, which we name Hoi1 (Hob interactor 1), as an adaptor that targets the yeast BLTP2-like proteins Fmp27/Hob1 and Hob2 to ER-PM contact sites. Two separate Hoi1 domains interface with alpha-helical projections that decorate the central hydrophobic channel on Fmp27, and loss of these interactions disrupts cellular sterol homeostasis. The mutant phenotypes of BLTP2 and HOI1 orthologs indicate these proteins act in a shared pathway in worms and flies. Together, this suggests that Hoi1-mediated recruitment of BLTP2-like proteins represents an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for regulating lipid transport at membrane contact sites.

Neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental roles for bulk lipid transporters VPS13A and BLTP2 in movement disorders

Background

Bridge-like lipid transfer proteins (BLTPs) mediate bulk lipid transport at membrane contact sites. Mutations in BLTPs are linked to both early-onset neurodevelopmental and later-onset neurodegenerative diseases, including movement disorders. The tissue specificity and temporal requirements of BLTPs in disease pathogenesis remain poorly understood.

Objectives

To determine the age-of-onset and tissue-specific roles of VPS13A and BLTP2 in movement disorder pathogenesis using Drosophila models.

Methods

We generated tissue-specific knockdowns of the VPS13A ortholog ( Vps13 ) and the BLTP2 ortholog ( hobbit ) in neurons and muscles of Drosophila . We analyzed age-dependent locomotor behavior, neurodegeneration, and synapse development and function.

Results

Neuron-specific loss of the VPS13A ortholog caused neurodegeneration followed by age- onset movement deficits and reduced lifespan, while muscle-specific loss affected only lifespan, revealing neurodegeneration and myopathy as independent comorbidities in VPS13A disease. In contrast, neuronal loss of the BLTP2 ortholog resulted in severe early-onset locomotor defects without neurodegeneration, while muscle loss impaired synaptogenesis and neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

Conclusions

VPS13A maintains neuronal survival, while BLTP2 orchestrates synaptic development. VPS13A function in muscle does not play a role in movement defects. The phenotypic specificity of BLTP function provides mechanistic insights into distinct disease trajectories for BLTP-associated movement disorders.

Exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms and wet biomarkers of VPS13A disease

VPS13A disease (also known as Chorea-Acanthocytosis, ChAc) is a representative subtype of the neuroacanthocytosis (NA) syndromes, characterized by neurodegeneration in the central nervous system and acanthocytosis in peripheral blood. It is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by loss-of-function variants in the VPS13A gene, which is currently the only known pathogenic gene for ChAc. VPS13A protein is a member of novel bridge-like lipid transfer proteins family located at membrane contact sites, forming direct channels for lipid transport. The specific mechanism underlying how the loss of VPS13A function leads to the hematological and neurological phenotypes of the disease remains unclear. Here we present a review of recent studies on VPS13A protein and ChAc, focusing on the potential role of the VPS13A protein in pathophysiology of ChAc and also review the known and potential wet biomarkers of ChAc to enhance our comprehension of this rare disease.

Remodeling of the secretory pathway is coordinated with de novo membrane formation in budding yeast gametogenesis

Gametogenesis in budding yeast involves a large-scale rearrangement of membrane traffic to allow the de novo formation of a membrane, called the prospore membrane (PSM). However, the mechanism underlying this event is not fully elucidated. Here, we show that the number of endoplasmic reticulum exit sites (ERES) per cell fluctuates and switches from decreasing to increasing upon the onset of PSM formation. Reduction in ERES number, presumably accompanying a transient stall in membrane traffic, resulting in the loss of preexisting Golgi apparatus from the cell, was followed by local ERES regeneration, leading to Golgi reassembly in nascent spores. We have revealed that protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and its development-specific subunit, Gip1, promote ERES regeneration through Sec16 foci formation. Furthermore, sed4Δ, a mutant with impaired ERES formation, showed defects in PSM growth and spore formation. Thus, ERES regeneration in nascent spores facilitates the segregation of membrane traffic organelles, leading to PSM growth.

Membrane and organelle rearrangement during ascospore formation in budding yeast

SUMMARYIn ascomycete fungi, sexual spores, termed ascospores, are formed after meiosis. Ascospore formation is an unusual cell division in which daughter cells are created within the cytoplasm of the mother cell by de novo generation of membranes that encapsulate each of the haploid chromosome sets created by meiosis. This review describes the molecular events underlying the creation, expansion, and closure of these membranes in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recent advances in our understanding of the regulation of gene expression and the dynamic behavior of different membrane-bound organelles during this process are detailed. While less is known about ascospore formation in other systems, comparison to the distantly related fission yeast suggests that the molecular events will be broadly similar throughout the ascomycetes.

A role for Vps13-mediated lipid transfer at the ER-endosome contact site in ESCRT-mediated sorting

Endosomes are specialized organelles that function in the secretory and endocytic protein sorting pathways. Endocytosed cell surface receptors and transporters destined for lysosomal degradation are sorted into intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) at endosomes by endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. The endosomes (multivesicular bodies, MVBs) then fuse with the lysosome. During endosomal maturation, the number of ILVs increases, but the size of endosomes does not decrease despite the consumption of the limiting membrane during ILV formation. Vesicle-mediated trafficking is thought to provide lipids to support MVB biogenesis. However, we have uncovered an unexpected contribution of a large bridge-like lipid transfer protein, Vps13, in this process. Here, we reveal that Vps13-mediated lipid transfer at ER-endosome contact sites is required for the ESCRT pathway. We propose that Vps13 may play a critical role in supplying lipids to the endosome, ensuring continuous ESCRT-mediated sorting during MVB biogenesis.

Mitofusin-mediated contacts between mitochondria and peroxisomes regulate mitochondrial fusion

Mitofusins are large GTPases that trigger fusion of mitochondrial outer membranes. Similarly to the human mitofusin Mfn2, which also tethers mitochondria to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the yeast mitofusin Fzo1 stimulates contacts between Peroxisomes and Mitochondria when overexpressed. Yet, the physiological significance and function of these "PerMit" contacts remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Fzo1 naturally localizes to peroxisomes and promotes PerMit contacts in physiological conditions. These contacts are regulated through co-modulation of Fzo1 levels by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and by the desaturation status of fatty acids (FAs). Contacts decrease under low FA desaturation but reach a maximum during high FA desaturation. High-throughput genetic screening combined with high-resolution cellular imaging reveal that Fzo1-mediated PerMit contacts favor the transit of peroxisomal citrate into mitochondria. In turn, citrate enters the TCA cycle to stimulate the mitochondrial membrane potential and maintain efficient mitochondrial fusion upon high FA desaturation. These findings thus unravel a mechanism by which inter-organelle contacts safeguard mitochondrial fusion.

Meiotic Cytokinesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Spores That Just Need Closure

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sporulation occurs during starvation of a diploid cell and results in the formation of four haploid spores forming within the mother cell ascus. Meiosis divides the genetic material that is encapsulated by the prospore membrane that grows to surround the haploid nuclei; this membrane will eventually become the plasma membrane of the haploid spore. Cellularization of the spores occurs when the prospore membrane closes to capture the haploid nucleus along with some cytoplasmic material from the mother cell, and thus, closure of the prospore membrane is the meiotic cytokinetic event. This cytokinetic event involves the removal of the leading-edge protein complex, a complex of proteins that localizes to the leading edge of the growing prospore membrane. The development and closure of the prospore membrane must be coordinated with other meiotic exit events such as spindle disassembly. Timing of the closure of the prospore membrane depends on the meiotic exit pathway, which utilizes Cdc15, a Hippo-like kinase, and Sps1, an STE20 family GCKIII kinase, acting in parallel to the E3 ligase Ama1-APC/C. This review describes the sporulation process and focuses on the development of the prospore membrane and the regulation of prospore membrane closure.

Stay in touch with the endoplasmic reticulum

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is composed of a continuous network of tubules and sheets, forms the most widely distributed membrane system in eukaryotic cells. As a result, it engages a variety of organelles by establishing membrane contact sites (MCSs). These contacts regulate organelle positioning and remodeling, including fusion and fission, facilitate precise lipid exchange, and couple vital signaling events. Here, we systematically review recent advances and converging themes on ER-involved organellar contact. The molecular basis, cellular influence, and potential physiological functions for ER/nuclear envelope contacts with mitochondria, Golgi, endosomes, lysosomes, lipid droplets, autophagosomes, and plasma membrane are summarized.

Pharmacological interventions for lipid transport disorders

The recent discovery that defects in inter-organelle lipid transport are at the heart of several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders raises the challenge of identifying therapeutic strategies to correct lipid transport defects. This perspective highlights two potential strategies suggested by the study of lipid transport in budding yeast. In the first approach, small molecules are proposed that enhance the lipid transfer activity of VPS13 proteins and thereby compensate for reduced transport. In the second approach, molecules that act as inter-organelle tethers could be used to create artificial contact sites and bypass the loss of endogenous contacts.

RBG Motif Bridge-Like Lipid Transport Proteins: Structure, Functions, and Open Questions

The life of eukaryotic cells requires the transport of lipids between membranes, which are separated by the aqueous environment of the cytosol. Vesicle-mediated traffic along the secretory and endocytic pathways and lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) cooperate in this transport. Until recently, known LTPs were shown to carry one or a few lipids at a time and were thought to mediate transport by shuttle-like mechanisms. Over the last few years, a new family of LTPs has been discovered that is defined by a repeating β-groove (RBG) rod-like structure with a hydrophobic channel running along their entire length. This structure and the localization of these proteins at membrane contact sites suggest a bridge-like mechanism of lipid transport. Mutations in some of these proteins result in neurodegenerative and developmental disorders. Here we review the known properties and well-established or putative physiological roles of these proteins, and we highlight the many questions that remain open about their functions.

Mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism in health and disease

Studies of rare human genetic disorders of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism have highlighted the crucial role that membrane phospholipids play in mitochondrial bioenergetics and human health. The phospholipid composition of mitochondrial membranes is highly conserved from yeast to humans, with each class of phospholipid performing a specific function in the assembly and activity of various mitochondrial membrane proteins, including the oxidative phosphorylation complexes. Recent studies have uncovered novel roles of cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine, two crucial mitochondrial phospholipids, in organismal physiology. Studies on inter-organellar and intramitochondrial phospholipid transport have significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms that maintain mitochondrial phospholipid homeostasis. Here, we discuss these recent advances in the function and transport of mitochondrial phospholipids while describing their biochemical and biophysical properties and biosynthetic pathways. Additionally, we highlight the roles of mitochondrial phospholipids in human health by describing the various genetic diseases caused by disruptions in their biosynthesis and discuss advances in therapeutic strategies for Barth syndrome, the best-studied disorder of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism.

Biological roles of plant synaptotagmins

Plant synaptotagmins (SYTs) are resident proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They are characterized by an N-terminal transmembrane region and C2 domains at the C-terminus, which tether the ER to the plasma membrane (PM). In addition to their tethering role, SYTs contain a lipid-harboring SMP domain, essential for shuttling lipids between the ER and the PM. There is now abundant literature on Arabidopsis SYT1, the best-characterized family member, which link it to biotic and abiotic responses as well as to ER morphology. Here, we review the current knowledge of SYT members, focusing on their role in stress, and discuss how these roles can be related to their tethering and lipid transport functions. Finally, we contextualize this information about SYTs with their homologs, the yeast tricalbins and the mammalian extended synaptotagmins.

Parallel phospholipid transfer by Vps13 and Atg2 determines autophagosome biogenesis dynamics

During autophagy, rapid membrane assembly expands small phagophores into large double-membrane autophagosomes. Theoretical modeling predicts that the majority of autophagosomal phospholipids are derived from highly efficient non-vesicular phospholipid transfer (PLT) across phagophore-ER contacts (PERCS). Currently, the phagophore-ER tether Atg2 is the only PLT protein known to drive phagophore expansion in vivo. Here, our quantitative live-cell imaging analysis reveals a poor correlation between the duration and size of forming autophagosomes and the number of Atg2 molecules at PERCS of starving yeast cells. Strikingly, we find that Atg2-mediated PLT is non-rate limiting for autophagosome biogenesis because membrane tether and the PLT protein Vps13 localizes to the rim and promotes the expansion of phagophores in parallel with Atg2. In the absence of Vps13, the number of Atg2 molecules at PERCS determines the duration and size of forming autophagosomes with an apparent in vivo transfer rate of ∼200 phospholipids per Atg2 molecule and second. We propose that conserved PLT proteins cooperate in channeling phospholipids across organelle contact sites for non-rate-limiting membrane assembly during autophagosome biogenesis.

The association of lipid transfer protein VPS13A with endosomes is mediated by sorting nexin SNX5

Human VPS13 proteins are implicated in severe neurological diseases. These proteins play an important role in lipid transport at membrane contact sites between different organelles. Identification of adaptors that regulate the subcellular localization of these proteins at specific membrane contact sites is essential to understand their function and role in disease. We have identified the sorting nexin SNX5 as an interactor of VPS13A that mediates its association with endosomal subdomains. As for the yeast sorting nexin and Vps13 endosomal adaptor Ypt35, this association involves the VPS13 adaptor-binding (VAB) domain in VPS13A and a PxP motif in SNX5. Notably, this interaction is impaired by mutation of a conserved asparagine residue in the VAB domain, which is also required for Vps13-adaptor binding in yeast and is pathogenic in VPS13D. VPS13A fragments containing the VAB domain co-localize with SNX5, whereas the more C-terminal part of VPS13A directs its localization to the mitochondria. Overall, our results suggest that a fraction of VPS13A localizes to junctions between the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and SNX5-containing endosomes.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Contact Sites, Lipid Transport, and Neurodegeneration

The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an endomembrane system that plays a multiplicity of roles in cell physiology and populates even the most distal cell compartments, including dendritic tips and axon terminals of neurons. Some of its functions are achieved by a cross talk with other intracellular membranous organelles and with the plasma membrane at membrane contacts sites (MCSs). As the ER synthesizes most membrane lipids, lipid exchanges mediated by lipid transfer proteins at MCSs are a particularly important aspect of this cross talk, which synergizes with the cross talk mediated by vesicular transport. Several mutations of genes that encode proteins localized at ER MCSs result in familial neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the importance of the normal lipid traffic within cells for a healthy brain. Here, we provide an overview of such diseases, with a specific focus on proteins that directly or indirectly impact lipid transport.

Interorganellar Communication Through Membrane Contact Sites in Toxoplasma Gondii

Apicomplexan parasites are a group of protists that cause disease in humans and include pathogens like Plasmodium spp., the causative agent of malaria, and Toxoplasma gondii, the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis and one of the most ubiquitous human parasites in the world. Membrane contact sites (MCSs) are widespread structures within eukaryotic cells but their characterization in apicomplexan parasites is only in its very beginnings. Basic biological features of the T. gondii parasitic cycle support numerous organellar interactions, including the transfer of Ca2+ and metabolites between different compartments. In T. gondii, Ca2+ signals precede a series of interrelated molecular processes occurring in a coordinated manner that culminate in the stimulation of key steps of the parasite life cycle. Calcium transfer from the endoplasmic reticulum to other organelles via MCSs would explain the precision, speed, and efficiency that is needed during the lytic cycle of T. gondii. In this short review, we discuss the implications of these structures in cellular signaling, with an emphasis on their potential role in Ca2+ signaling.

Molecular species selectivity of lipid transport creates a mitochondrial sink for di-unsaturated phospholipids

Mitochondria depend on the import of phospholipid precursors for the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and cardiolipin, yet the mechanism of their transport remains elusive. A dynamic lipidomics approach revealed that mitochondria preferentially import di-unsaturated phosphatidylserine (PS) for subsequent conversion to PE by the mitochondrial PS decarboxylase Psd1p. Several protein complexes tethering mitochondria to the endomembrane system have been implicated in lipid transport in yeast, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondrial encounter structure (ERMES), ER-membrane complex (EMC), and the vacuole and mitochondria patch (vCLAMP). By limiting the availability of unsaturated phospholipids, we created conditions to investigate the mechanism of lipid transfer and the contributions of the tethering complexes in vivo. Under these conditions, inactivation of ERMES components or of the vCLAMP component Vps39p exacerbated accumulation of saturated lipid acyl chains, indicating that ERMES and Vps39p contribute to the mitochondrial sink for unsaturated acyl chains by mediating transfer of di-unsaturated phospholipids. These results support the concept that intermembrane lipid flow is rate-limited by molecular species-dependent lipid efflux from the donor membrane and driven by the lipid species' concentration gradient between donor and acceptor membrane.

Membrane Contact Sites in Autophagy

Eukaryotes utilize different communication strategies to coordinate processes between different cellular compartments either indirectly, through vesicular transport, or directly, via membrane contact sites (MCSs). MCSs have been implicated in lipid metabolism, calcium signaling and the regulation of organelle biogenesis in various cell types. Several studies have shown that MCSs play a crucial role in the regulation of macroautophagy, an intracellular catabolic transport route that is characterized by the delivery of cargoes (proteins, protein complexes or aggregates, organelles and pathogens) to yeast and plant vacuoles or mammalian lysosomes, for their degradation and recycling into basic metabolites. Macroautophagy is characterized by the de novo formation of double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes, and their biogenesis requires an enormous amount of lipids. MCSs appear to have a central role in this supply, as well as in the organization of the autophagy-related (ATG) machinery. In this review, we will summarize the evidence for the participation of specific MCSs in autophagosome formation, with a focus on the budding yeast and mammalian systems.

Systematic analysis of membrane contact sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae uncovers modulators of cellular lipid distribution

Actively maintained close appositions between organelle membranes, also known as contact sites, enable the efficient transfer of biomolecules between cellular compartments. Several such sites have been described as well as their tethering machineries. Despite these advances we are still far from a comprehensive understanding of the function and regulation of most contact sites. To systematically characterize contact site proteomes, we established a high-throughput screening approach in Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on co-localization imaging. We imaged split fluorescence reporters for six different contact sites, several of which are poorly characterized, on the background of 1165 strains expressing a mCherry-tagged yeast protein that has a cellular punctate distribution (a hallmark of contact sites), under regulation of the strong TEF2 promoter. By scoring both co-localization events and effects on reporter size and abundance, we discovered over 100 new potential contact site residents and effectors in yeast. Focusing on several of the newly identified residents, we identified three homologs of Vps13 and Atg2 that are residents of multiple contact sites. These proteins share their lipid transport domain, thus expanding this family of lipid transporters. Analysis of another candidate, Ypr097w, which we now call Lec1 (Lipid-droplet Ergosterol Cortex 1), revealed that this previously uncharacterized protein dynamically shifts between lipid droplets and the cell cortex, and plays a role in regulation of ergosterol distribution in the cell. Overall, our analysis expands the universe of contact site residents and effectors and creates a rich database to mine for new functions, tethers, and regulators.

ATG2 and VPS13 proteins: molecular highways transporting lipids to drive membrane expansion and organelle communication

Communication between organelles is an essential process that helps maintain cellular homeostasis and organelle contact sites have recently emerged as crucial mediators of this communication. The emergence of a class of molecular bridges that span the inter-organelle gaps has now been shown to direct the flow of lipid traffic from one lipid bilayer to another. One of the key components of these molecular bridges is the presence of an N-terminal Chorein/VPS13 domain. This is an evolutionarily conserved domain present in multiple proteins within the endocytic and autophagy trafficking pathways. Herein, we discuss the current state-of-the-art of this class of proteins, focusing on the role of these lipid transporters in the autophagy and endocytic pathways. We discuss the recent biochemical and structural advances that have highlighted the essential role Chorein-N domain containing ATG2 proteins play in driving the formation of the autophagosome and how lipids are transported from the endoplasmic reticulum to the growing phagophore. We also consider the VPS13 proteins, their role in organelle contacts and the endocytic pathway and highlight how disease-causing mutations disrupt these contact sites. Finally, we open the door to discuss other Chorein_N domain containing proteins, for instance, UHRF1BP1/1L, their role in disease and look towards prokaryote examples of Chorein_N-like domains. Taken together, recent advances have highlighted an exciting opportunity to delve deeper into inter-organelle communication and understand how lipids are transported between membrane bilayers and how this process is disrupted in multiple diseases.

A novel superfamily of bridge-like lipid transfer proteins

Lipid transfer proteins mediate nonvesicular transport of lipids at membrane contact sites to regulate the lipid composition of organelle membranes. Recently, a new type of bridge-like lipid transfer protein has emerged; these proteins contain a long hydrophobic groove and can mediate bulk transport of lipids between organelles. Here, we review recent insights into the structure of these proteins and identify a repeating modular unit that we propose to name the repeating β-groove (RBG) domain. This new structural understanding conceptually unifies all the RBG domain-containing lipid transfer proteins as members of an RBG protein superfamily. We also examine the biological functions of these lipid transporters in normal physiology and disease and speculate on the evolutionary origins of RBG proteins in bacteria.

Interaction between VPS13A and the XK scramblase is important for VPS13A function in humans

VPS13 family proteins form conduits between the membranes of different organelles through which lipids are transferred. In humans, there are four VPS13 paralogs, and mutations in the genes encoding each of them are associated with different inherited disorders. VPS13 proteins contain multiple conserved domains. The Vps13 adaptor-binding (VAB) domain binds to adaptor proteins that recruit VPS13 to specific membrane contact sites. This work demonstrates the importance of a different domain in VPS13A function. The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain at the C-terminal region of VPS13A is required to form a complex with the XK scramblase and for the co-localization of VPS13A with XK within the cell. Alphafold modeling was used to predict an interaction surface between VPS13A and XK. Mutations in this region disrupt both complex formation and co-localization of the two proteins. Mutant VPS13A alleles found in patients with VPS13A disease truncate the PH domain. The phenotypic similarities between VPS13A disease and McLeod syndrome caused by mutations in VPS13A and XK, respectively, argue that loss of the VPS13A-XK complex is the basis of both diseases.

In situ architecture of the lipid transport protein VPS13C at ER-lysosome membrane contacts

VPS13 is a eukaryotic lipid transport protein localized at membrane contact sites. Previous studies suggested that it may transfer lipids between adjacent bilayers by a bridge-like mechanism. Direct evidence for this hypothesis from a full-length structure and from electron microscopy (EM) studies in situ is still missing, however. Here, we have capitalized on AlphaFold predictions to complement the structural information already available about VPS13 and to generate a full-length model of human VPS13C, the Parkinson's disease-linked VPS13 paralog localized at contacts between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and endo/lysosomes. Such a model predicts an ∼30-nm rod with a hydrophobic groove that extends throughout its length. We further investigated whether such a structure can be observed in situ at ER-endo/lysosome contacts. To this aim, we combined genetic approaches with cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to examine HeLa cells overexpressing this protein (either full length or with an internal truncation) along with VAP, its anchoring binding partner at the ER. Using these methods, we identified rod-like densities that span the space separating the two adjacent membranes and that match the predicted structures of either full-length VPS13C or its shorter truncated mutant, thus providing in situ evidence for a bridge model of VPS13 in lipid transport.

Age-related Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease: New Insights Into the Disease Pathology

Aging is a progressive loss of physiological function that increases risk of disease and death. Among the many factors that contribute to human aging, mitochondrial dysfunction has emerged as one of the most prominent features of the aging process. It has been linked to the development of various age-related pathologies, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitochondria has a complex quality control system that ensures mitochondrial integrity and function. Perturbations in these mitochondrial mechanisms have long been linked to various age-related neurological disorders. Even though research has shed light on several aspects of the disease pathology, the underlying mechanism of age-related factors responsible for individuals developing this disease is still unknown. This review article aims to discuss the role of mitochondria in the transition from normal brain aging to pathological brain aging, which leads to the progression of PD. We have discussed the emerging evidence on how age-related disruption of mitochondrial quality control mechanisms contributes to the development of PD-related pathophysiology.

ER-lysosome lipid transfer protein VPS13C/PARK23 prevents aberrant mtDNA-dependent STING signaling

Mutations in VPS13C cause early-onset, autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease (PD). We have established that VPS13C encodes a lipid transfer protein localized to contact sites between the ER and late endosomes/lysosomes. In the current study, we demonstrate that depleting VPS13C in HeLa cells causes an accumulation of lysosomes with an altered lipid profile, including an accumulation of di-22:6-BMP, a biomarker of the PD-associated leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) G2019S mutation. In addition, the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway, which was recently implicated in PD pathogenesis, is activated in these cells. This activation results from a combination of elevated mitochondrial DNA in the cytosol and a defect in the degradation of activated STING, a lysosome-dependent process. These results suggest a link between ER-lysosome lipid transfer and innate immune activation in a model human cell line and place VPS13C in pathways relevant to PD pathogenesis.

Cvm1 is a component of multiple vacuolar contact sites required for sphingolipid homeostasis

Membrane contact sites are specialized platforms formed between most organelles that enable them to exchange metabolites and influence the dynamics of each other. The yeast vacuole is a degradative organelle equivalent to the lysosome in higher eukaryotes with important roles in ion homeostasis and metabolism. Using a high-content microscopy screen, we identified Ymr160w (Cvm1, for contact of the vacuole membrane 1) as a novel component of three different contact sites of the vacuole: with the nuclear endoplasmic reticulum, the mitochondria, and the peroxisomes. At the vacuole-mitochondria contact site, Cvm1 acts as a tether independently of previously known tethers. We show that changes in Cvm1 levels affect sphingolipid homeostasis, altering the levels of multiple sphingolipid classes and the response of sphingolipid-sensing signaling pathways. Furthermore, the contact sites formed by Cvm1 are induced upon a decrease in sphingolipid levels. Altogether, our work identifies a novel protein that forms multiple contact sites and supports a role of lysosomal contacts in sphingolipid homeostasis.

SHIP164 is a chorein motif lipid transfer protein that controls endosome-Golgi membrane traffic

Cellular membranes differ in protein and lipid composition as well as in the protein-lipid ratio. Thus, progression of membranous organelles along traffic routes requires mechanisms to control bilayer lipid chemistry and their abundance relative to proteins. The recent structural and functional characterization of VPS13-family proteins has suggested a mechanism through which lipids can be transferred in bulk from one membrane to another at membrane contact sites, and thus independently of vesicular traffic. Here, we show that SHIP164 (UHRF1BP1L) shares structural and lipid transfer properties with these proteins and is localized on a subpopulation of vesicle clusters in the early endocytic pathway whose membrane cargo includes the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR). Loss of SHIP164 disrupts retrograde traffic of these organelles to the Golgi complex. Our findings raise the possibility that bulk transfer of lipids to endocytic membranes may play a role in their traffic.

METALIC reveals interorganelle lipid flux in live cells by enzymatic mass tagging

The distinct activities of organelles depend on the proper function of their membranes. Coordinated membrane biogenesis of different organelles necessitates lipid transport from their site of synthesis to their destination. Several factors have been proposed to participate in lipid distribution, but despite its basic importance, in vivo evidence linking the absence of putative transport pathways to specific transport defects remains scarce. A reason for this scarcity is the near absence of in vivo lipid trafficking assays. Here we introduce a versatile method named METALIC (Mass tagging-Enabled TrAcking of Lipids In Cells) to track interorganelle lipid flux inside cells. In this strategy, two enzymes, one directed to a 'donor' and the other to an 'acceptor' organelle, add two distinct mass tags to lipids. Mass-spectrometry-based detection of lipids bearing the two mass tags is then used to quantify exchange between the two organelles. By applying this approach, we show that the ERMES and Vps13-Mcp1 complexes have transport activity in vivo, and unravel their relative contributions to endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria lipid exchange.

Yeast as a Model to Find New Drugs and Drug Targets for VPS13-Dependent Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mutations in human VPS13A-D genes result in rare neurological diseases, including chorea-acanthocytosis. The pathogenesis of these diseases is poorly understood, and no effective treatment is available. As VPS13 genes are evolutionarily conserved, the effects of the pathogenic mutations could be studied in model organisms, including yeast, where one VPS13 gene is present. In this review, we summarize advancements obtained using yeast. In recent studies, vps13Δ and vps13-I2749 yeast mutants, which are models of chorea-acanthocytosis, were used to screen for multicopy and chemical suppressors. Two of the suppressors, a fragment of the MYO3 and RCN2 genes, act by downregulating calcineurin activity. In addition, vps13Δ suppression was achieved by using calcineurin inhibitors. The other group of multicopy suppressors were genes: FET4, encoding iron transporter, and CTR1, CTR3 and CCC2, encoding copper transporters. Mechanisms of their suppression rely on causing an increase in the intracellular iron content. Moreover, among the identified chemical suppressors were copper ionophores, which require a functional iron uptake system for activity, and flavonoids, which bind iron. These findings point at areas for further investigation in a higher eukaryotic model of VPS13-related diseases and to new therapeutic targets: calcium signalling and copper and iron homeostasis. Furthermore, the identified drugs are interesting candidates for drug repurposing for these diseases.

Vps13-like proteins provide phosphatidylethanolamine for GPI anchor synthesis in the ER

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is a glycolipid membrane anchor found on surface proteins in all eukaryotes. It is synthesized in the ER membrane. Each GPI anchor requires three molecules of ethanolamine phosphate (P-Etn), which are derived from phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). We found that efficient GPI anchor synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires Csf1; cells lacking Csf1 accumulate GPI precursors lacking P-Etn. Structure predictions suggest Csf1 is a tube-forming lipid transport protein like Vps13. Csf1 is found at contact sites between the ER and other organelles. It interacts with the ER protein Mcd4, an enzyme that adds P-Etn to nascent GPI anchors, suggesting Csf1 channels PE to Mcd4 in the ER at contact sites to support GPI anchor biosynthesis. CSF1 has orthologues in Caenorhabditis elegans (lpd-3) and humans (KIAA1109/TWEEK); mutations in KIAA1109 cause the autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder Alkuraya-Kučinskas syndrome. Knockout of lpd-3 and knockdown of KIAA1109 reduced GPI-anchored proteins on the surface of cells, suggesting Csf1 orthologues in human cells support GPI anchor biosynthesis.

A possible role for VPS13-family proteins in bulk lipid transfer, membrane expansion and organelle biogenesis

At organelle-organelle contact sites, proteins have long been known to facilitate the rapid movement of lipids. Classically, this lipid transport involves the extraction of single lipids into a hydrophobic pocket on a lipid transport protein. Recently, a new class of lipid transporter has been described with physical characteristics that suggest these proteins are likely to function differently. They possess long hydrophobic tracts that can bind many lipids at once and physically span the entire gulf between membranes at contact sites, suggesting that they may act as bridges to facilitate bulk lipid flow. Here, we review what has been learned regarding the structure and function of this class of lipid transporters, whose best characterized members are VPS13 and ATG2 proteins, and their apparent coordination with other lipid-mobilizing proteins on organelle membranes. We also discuss the prevailing hypothesis in the field, that this type of lipid transport may facilitate membrane expansion through the bulk delivery of lipids, as well as other emerging hypotheses and questions surrounding these novel lipid transport proteins.

Rewiring phospholipid biosynthesis reveals resilience to membrane perturbations and uncovers regulators of lipid homeostasis

The organelles of eukaryotic cells differ in their membrane lipid composition. This heterogeneity is achieved by the localization of lipid synthesizing and modifying enzymes to specific compartments, as well as by intracellular lipid transport that utilizes vesicular and non‐vesicular routes to ferry lipids from their place of synthesis to their destination. For instance, the major and essential phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), can be produced by multiple pathways and, in the case of PE, also at multiple locations. However, the molecular components that underlie lipid homeostasis as well as the routes allowing their distribution remain unclear. Here, we present an approach in which we simplify and rewire yeast phospholipid synthesis by redirecting PE and PC synthesis reactions to distinct subcellular locations using chimeric enzymes fused to specific organelle targeting motifs. In rewired conditions, viability is expected to depend on homeostatic adaptation to the ensuing lipostatic perturbations and on efficient interorganelle lipid transport. We therefore performed genetic screens to identify factors involved in both of these processes. Among the candidates identified, we find genes linked to transcriptional regulation of lipid homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and transport. In particular, we identify a requirement for Csf1—an uncharacterized protein harboring a Chorein‐N lipid transport motif—for survival under certain rewired conditions as well as lipidomic adaptation to cold, implicating Csf1 in interorganelle lipid transport and homeostatic adaptation.

Whole-exome sequencing confirms implication of VPS13D as a potential cause of progressive spastic ataxia

Background

VPS13D is a large ubiquitin-binding protein playing an essential role in mitophagy by regulating mitochondrial fission. Recently, VPS13D biallelic pathogenic variants have been reported in patients displaying variable neurological phenotypes, with an autosomic recessive inheritance.

The objectives of the study were to determine the genetic etiology of a patient with early onset sporadic progressive spastic ataxia, and to investigate the pathogenicity of VPS13D variants through functional studies on patient’s skin fibroblasts.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 51-year-old patient with spastic ataxia, with an acute onset of the disease at age 7. Walking difficulties slowly worsened over time, with the use of a wheelchair since age 26. We have used trio-based whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify genes associated with spastic ataxia. The impact of the identified variants on mitochondrial function was assessed in patient’s fibroblasts by imaging mitochondrial network and measuring level of individual OXPHOS complex subunits. Compound heterozygous variants were identified in VPS13D: c.946C > T, p.Arg316* and c.12416C > T, p.(Ala4139Val). Primary fibroblasts obtained from this patient revealed an altered mitochondrial morphology, and a decrease in levels of proteins from complex I, III and IV.

Conclusions

Our findings confirmed implication of VPS13D in spastic ataxia and provided further support for mitochondrial defects in patient’s skin fibroblasts with VPS13D variants. This report of long-term follow up showed a slowly progressive course of the spastic paraplegia with cerebellar features. Furthermore, the performed functional studies could be used as biomarker helping diagnosis of VPS13D-related neurological disorders when molecular results are uneasy to interpret.

VPS13A and VPS13C Influence Lipid Droplet Abundance

Lipid transfer proteins mediate the exchange of lipids between closely apposed membranes at organelle contact sites and play key roles in lipid metabolism, membrane homeostasis, and cellular signaling. A recently discovered novel family of lipid transfer proteins, which includes the VPS13 proteins (VPS13A-D), adopt a rod-like bridge conformation with an extended hydrophobic groove that enables the bulk transfer of membrane lipids for membrane growth. Loss of function mutations in VPS13A and VPS13C cause chorea acanthocytosis and Parkinson's disease, respectively. VPS13A and VPS13C localize to multiple organelle contact sites, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) - lipid droplet (LD) contact sites, but the functional roles of these proteins in LD regulation remains mostly unexplored. Here we employ CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to generate VPS13A and VPS13C knockout cell lines in U-2 OS cells via deletion of exon 2 and introduction of an early frameshift. Analysis of LD content in these cell lines revealed that loss of either VPS13A or VPS13C results in reduced LD abundance under oleate-stimulated conditions. These data implicate two lipid transfer proteins, VPS13A and VPS13C, in LD regulation.

Mitochondria from the Outside in: The Relationship Between Inter-Organelle Crosstalk and Mitochondrial Internal Organization

A fundamental role of membrane-bound organelles is the compartmentalization and organization of cellular processes. Mitochondria perform an immense number of metabolic chemical reactions and to efficiently regulate these, the organelle organizes its inner membrane into distinct morphological domains, including its characteristic cristae membranes. In recent years, a structural feature of increasing apparent importance is the inter-connection between the mitochondrial exterior and other organelles at membrane contact sites (MCSs). Mitochondria form MCSs with almost every other organelle in the cell, including the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets, and lysosomes, to coordinate global cellular metabolism with mitochondrial metabolism. However, these MCSs not only facilitate the transport of metabolites between organelles, but also directly impinge on the physical shape and functional organization inside mitochondria. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of how physical connections between other organelles and mitochondria both directly and indirectly influence the internal architecture of mitochondria.

α-Synuclein Interactions in Mitochondria-ER Contacts: A Possible Role in Parkinson's Disease

Endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites regulate various biological processes, such as mitochondrial dynamics, calcium homeostasis, autophagy and lipid metabolism. Notably, dysfunctions in these contact sites are closely related to neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, details about the role of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites in neurodegenerative diseases remain unknown. In Parkinson's disease, interactions between α-synuclein in the contact sites and components of tether complexes that connect organelles can lead to various dysfunctions, especially with regards to calcium homeostasis. This review will summarize the main tether complexes present in endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites, and their roles in calcium homeostasis and trafficking. We will discuss the impact of α-synuclein accumulation, its interaction with tethering complex components and the implications in Parkinson's disease pathology.

Vps13 is required for efficient autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Vps13 is a large, conserved protein that transports lipids between membranes. Its localization at multiple organelle membranes and membrane contact sites suggests its important physiological roles. In addition, the high correlation of mutant VPS13 with certain diseases, especially those involving neurodegeneration, makes this protein of considerable biomedical interest. Taking advantage of the fact that yeasts only have one Vps13 protein, the roles of yeast Vps13 have been well studied. However, whether and how Vps13 functions in macroautophagy/autophagy, a process of degradation of cytoplasmic cargoes, have been elusive questions. In this paper, we investigated the role of Vps13 in both non-selective and selective autophagy and found that this protein participates in non-selective autophagy, reticulophagy and pexophagy, but not mitophagy, and that Vps13 plays a role in the late stage of autophagy.

Insertional mutagenesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: An effective strategy for the identification of new genes involved in the DNA damage response

The formation of double-strand breaks in DNA represents a serious stress for all types of organisms and requires a precisely regulated and organized DNA damage response (DDR) to maintain genetic information and genome integrity. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii possesses the characteristics of both plants and animals and is therefore suitable for the identification of novel genes connected to a wide spectrum of metabolic pathways, including DDR. One very effective tool for the detection and subsequent characterization of new mutants in C. reinhardtii is insertional mutagenesis. We isolated several insertion mutants sensitive to DNA-damaging agents that had disrupted or completely deleted genes with putative functions in the DDR. In most of the analysed mutants, we identified various changes at both ends and even inside the inserted cassette. Using recent information from databases, we were also able to supplement the characteristics of the previously described mutant with a pleiotropic phenotype. In addition, we confirmed the effectiveness of hairpin-PCR as a strategy for the identification of insertion flanking sites and as a tool for the detection of changes at the site of insertion, thus enabling a better understanding of insertion events.

Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Contacts: A Potential Therapy Target for Cardiovascular Remodeling-Associated Diseases

Cardiovascular remodeling occurs in cardiomyocytes, collagen meshes, and vascular beds in the progress of cardiac insufficiency caused by a variety of cardiac diseases such as chronic ischemic heart disease, chronic overload heart disease, myocarditis, and myocardial infarction. The morphological changes that occur as a result of remodeling are the critical pathological basis for the occurrence and development of serious diseases and also determine morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the inhibition of remodeling is an important approach to prevent and treat heart failure and other related diseases. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are tightly linked by ER-mitochondria contacts (ERMCs). ERMCs play a vital role in different signaling pathways and provide a satisfactory structural platform for the ER and mitochondria to interact and maintain the normal function of cells, mainly by involving various cellular life processes such as lipid metabolism, calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial function, ER stress, and autophagy. Studies have shown that abnormal ERMCs may promote the occurrence and development of remodeling and participate in the formation of a variety of cardiovascular remodeling-associated diseases. This review focuses on the structure and function of the ERMCs, and the potential mechanism of ERMCs involved in cardiovascular remodeling, indicating that ERMCs may be a potential target for new therapeutic strategies against cardiovascular remodeling-induced diseases.

ER-misfolded proteins become sequestered with mitochondria and impair mitochondrial function

Proteostasis is a challenge for cellular organisms, as all known protein synthesis machineries are error-prone. Here we show by cell fractionation and microscopy studies that misfolded proteins formed in the endoplasmic reticulum can become associated with and partly transported into mitochondria, resulting in impaired mitochondrial function. Blocking the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES), but not the mitochondrial sorting and assembly machinery (SAM) or the mitochondrial surveillance pathway components Msp1 and Vms1, abrogated mitochondrial sequestration of ER-misfolded proteins. We term this mitochondria-associated proteostatic mechanism for ER-misfolded proteins ERAMS (ER-associated mitochondrial sequestration). We testify to the relevance of this pathway by using mutant α-1-antitrypsin as an example of a human disease-related misfolded ER protein, and we hypothesize that ERAMS plays a role in pathological features such as mitochondrial dysfunction.

Subunit exchange among endolysosomal tethering complexes is linked to contact site formation at the vacuole

The hexameric HOPS (homotypic fusion and protein sorting) complex is a conserved tethering complex at the lysosome-like vacuole, where it mediates tethering and promotes all fusion events involving this organelle. The Vps39 subunit of this complex also engages in a membrane contact site between the vacuole and the mitochondria, called vCLAMP. Additionally, four subunits of HOPS are also part of the endosomal CORVET tethering complex. Here, we analyzed the partition of HOPS and CORVET subunits between the different complexes by tracing their localization and function. We find that Vps39 has a specific role in vCLAMP formation beyond tethering, and that vCLAMPs and HOPS compete for the same pool of Vps39. In agreement, we find that the CORVET subunit Vps3 can take the position of Vps39 in HOPS. This endogenous pool of a Vps3-hybrid complex is affected by Vps3 or Vps39 levels, suggesting that HOPS and CORVET assembly is dynamic. Our data shed light on how individual subunits of tethering complexes such as Vps39 can participate in other functions, while maintaining the remaining subcomplex available for its function in tethering and fusion.

How a first research experience had an impact on my scientific journey

As I look back to my scientific trajectory on the occasion of being the recipient of the E. B. Wilson Medal of the American Society for Cell Biology, I realize how much an early scientific experience had an impact on my research many years later. The major influence that the first scientific encounters can have in defining a scientist’s path makes the choice of the training environment so important for a future career.

Unraveling the Spatiotemporal Distribution of VPS13A in the Mouse Brain

Loss-of-function mutations in the human vacuolar protein sorting the 13 homolog A (VPS13A) gene cause Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc), with selective degeneration of the striatum as the main neuropathologic feature. Very little is known about the VPS13A expression in the brain. The main objective of this work was to assess, for the first time, the spatiotemporal distribution of VPS13A in the mouse brain. We found VPS13A expression present in neurons already in the embryonic stage, with stable levels until adulthood. VPS13A mRNA and protein distributions were similar in the adult mouse brain. We found a widespread VPS13A distribution, with the strongest expression profiles in the pons, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Interestingly, expression was weak in the basal ganglia. VPS13A staining was positive in glutamatergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic neurons, but rarely in glial cells. At the cellular level, VPS13A was mainly located in the soma and neurites, co-localizing with both the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. However, it was not enriched in dendritic spines or the synaptosomal fraction of cortical neurons. In vivo pharmacological modulation of the glutamatergic, dopaminergic or cholinergic systems did not modulate VPS13A concentration in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, or striatum. These results indicate that VPS13A has remarkable stability in neuronal cells. Understanding the distinct expression pattern of VPS13A can provide relevant information to unravel pathophysiological hallmarks of ChAc.

The GTPase Arf1 Is a Determinant of Yeast Vps13 Localization to the Golgi Apparatus

VPS13 proteins are evolutionarily conserved. Mutations in the four human genes (VPS13A-D) encoding VPS13A-D proteins are linked to developmental or neurodegenerative diseases. The relationship between the specific localization of individual VPS13 proteins, their molecular functions, and the pathology of these diseases is unknown. Here we used a yeast model to establish the determinants of Vps13's interaction with the membranes of Golgi apparatus. We analyzed the different phenotypes of the arf1-3 arf2Δ vps13∆ strain, with reduced activity of the Arf1 GTPase, the master regulator of Golgi function and entirely devoid of Vps13. Our analysis led us to propose that Vps13 and Arf1 proteins cooperate at the Golgi apparatus. We showed that Vps13 binds to the Arf1 GTPase through its C-terminal Pleckstrin homology (PH)-like domain. This domain also interacts with phosphoinositol 4,5-bisphosphate as it was bound to liposomes enriched with this lipid. The homologous domain of VPS13A exhibited the same behavior. Furthermore, a fusion of the PH-like domain of Vps13 to green fluorescent protein was localized to Golgi structures in an Arf1-dependent manner. These results suggest that the PH-like domains and Arf1 are determinants of the localization of VPS13 proteins to the Golgi apparatus in yeast and humans.

Insights into VPS13 properties and function reveal a new mechanism of eukaryotic lipid transport

The occurrence of protein mediated lipid transfer between intracellular membranes has been known since the late 1960's. Since these early discoveries, numerous proteins responsible for such transport, which often act at membrane contact sites, have been identified. Typically, they comprise a lipid harboring module thought to shuttle back and forth between the two adjacent bilayers. Recently, however, studies of the chorein domain protein family, which includes VPS13 and ATG2, has led to the identification of a novel mechanism of lipid transport between organelles in eukaryotic cells mediated by a rod-like protein bridge with a hydrophobic groove through which lipids can slide. This mechanism is ideally suited for bulk transport of bilayer lipids to promote membrane growth. Here we describe how studies of VPS13 led to the discovery of this new mechanism, summarize properties and known roles of VPS13 proteins, and discuss how their dysfunction may lead to disease.