Biophysical Society Conference | Tahoe 2022

Molecular Biophysics of Membranes

Sunday Speaker Abstracts

HOW TO BUILD, MANIPULATE, AND DESTROY FUNCTIONAL NANODOMAINS Anne K. Kenworthy ; 1 University of Virginia, Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, Charlottesville, VA, USA All membranes share a characteristic bilayer morphology, but their lateral organization can be remarkably complex. In biological membranes, lipids and proteins can self-assemble laterally to generate a variety of compositionally distinct domains that range in size from nanometers to microns, exist over a wide range of time scales, and assume varying curvatures and morphologies. Our group seeks to understand the physicochemical principles that govern the assembly and function of two related yet distinct classes of membrane nanodomains: membrane rafts and caveolae. Both reside within the plasma membrane of cells, form in a cholesterol- dependent manner, regulate multiple cellular processes, and, when defective, contribute to human disease. Yet, they differ substantially in morphology, lifetime, and function. Here, I will discuss recent insights emerging from our work on two major unanswered questions in the field: 1) What is the structural basis for caveolae assembly and function? and 2) Are membrane rafts druggable targets?

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