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Fungal membrane organization: the eisosome concept

Lois M Douglas1, James B Konopka

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794; email: lmardouglas@gmail.com , james.konopka@stonybrook.edu.

Annual Review of Microbiology
|July 9, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Newly discovered fungal membrane domains, called Membrane Compartment of Can1 (MCC)/eisosomes, organize cell membranes and are crucial for cell wall formation. Comparing these domains across fungi reveals common features in their structure and function.

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.
Keywords:
Candida albicansPI4,5P2Schizosaccharomyces pombeergosterollipid raft

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