Fungal membrane organization: the eisosome concept.

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Mycology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Fungal plasma membranes feature specialized domains influencing cellular processes.
• Membrane Compartment of Can1 (MCC)/eisosome domains are novel structures in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
• These domains are vital for plasma membrane organization, sphingolipid homeostasis, and cell wall morphogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the structure, biogenesis, and function of MCC/eisosome domains in fungi.
• To identify common features of these domains across diverse fungal species.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of MCC/eisosome domain morphology and protein composition.
• Comparative analysis of MCC/eisosome domains in various fungal species.

Main Results:

• MCC domains appear as stable punctate patches forming membrane furrows (300 nm long, 50 nm deep).
• These domains contain integral proteins like Sur7 and Nce102.
• Eisosome components, such as Pil1 and Lsp1, associate peripherally and form filaments that shape the membrane furrows.

Conclusions:

• MCC/eisosome domains represent a unique class of fungal membrane domains.
• Understanding these domains provides insights into fundamental cellular processes in fungi.
• Comparative studies are key to elucidating the conserved aspects of MCC/eisosome biogenesis, structure, and function.