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Updated: May 6, 2026

Direct Imaging of ER Calcium with Targeted-Esterase Induced Dye Loading TED
Published on: May 7, 2013
Feedback regulation of receptor-induced Ca2+ signaling mediated by E-Syt1 and Nir2 at endoplasmic reticulum-plasma
Chi-Lun Chang1, Ting-Sung Hsieh, T Tony Yang
1Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
Abstract:
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) junctions are highly conserved subcellular structures. Despite their importance in Ca(2+) signaling and lipid trafficking, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation and functions of ER-PM junctions remain unclear. By developing a genetically encoded marker that selectively monitors ER-PM junctions, we found that the connection between ER and PM was dynamically regulated by Ca(2+) signaling. Elevation of cytosolic Ca(2+) triggered translocation of E-Syt1 to ER-PM junctions to enhance ER-to-PM connection. This subsequently facilitated the recruitment of Nir2, a phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP), to ER-PM junctions following receptor stimulation. Nir2 promoted the replenishment of PM phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) after receptor-induced hydrolysis via its PITP activity. Disruption of the enhanced ER-to-PM connection resulted in reduced PM PIP2 replenishment and defective Ca(2+) signaling. Altogether, our results suggest a feedback mechanism that replenishes PM PIP2 during receptor-induced Ca(2+) signaling via the Ca(2+) effector E-Syt1 and the PITP Nir2 at ER-PM junctions.
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