@article {68315, title = {Motion of single molecular tethers reveals dynamic subdomains at ER-mitochondria contact sites}, journal = {bioRxiv}, year = {2022}, month = {2022 Sep 03}, abstract = {

To coordinate cellular physiology, eukaryotic cells rely on the inter-organelle transfer of molecules at specialized organelle-organelle contact sites1,2. Endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites (ERMCSs) are particularly vital communication hubs, playing key roles in the exchange of signaling molecules, lipids, and metabolites3. ERMCSs are maintained by interactions between complementary tethering molecules on the surface of each organelle4,5. However, due to the extreme sensitivity of these membrane interfaces to experimental perturbation6,7, a clear understanding of their nanoscale structure and regulation is still lacking. Here, we combine 3D electron microscopy with high-speed molecular tracking of a model organelle tether, VAPB, to map the structure and diffusion landscape of ERMCSs. From EM reconstructions, we identified subdomains within the contact site where ER membranes dramatically deform to match local mitochondrial curvature. In parallel live cell experiments, we observed that the VAPB tethers that mediate this interface were not immobile, but rather highly dynamic, entering and leaving the site in seconds. These subdomains enlarged during nutrient stress, indicating ERMCSs can readily remodel under different physiological conditions. An ALS-associated mutation in VAPB altered the normal fluidity of contact sites, likely perturbing effective communication across the contact site and preventing remodeling. These results establish high speed single molecule imaging as a new tool for mapping the structure of contact site interfaces and suggest that the diffusion landscape of VAPB is a crucial component of ERMCS homeostasis.

}, doi = {10.1101/2022.09.03.505525}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.03.505525}, author = {Christopher J. Obara and Jonathon Nixon-Abell and Andrew S. Moore and Federica Riccio and David P. Hoffman and Gleb Shtengel and C. Shan Xu and Kathy Schaefer and H. Amalia Pasolli and Jean-Baptiste Masson and Harald F. Hess and Christopher P. Calderon and Craig Blackstone and Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz} }