Cytoskeletal control of plant peroxisomal structure and function Faculty of Science, Charles University

Peroxisomes are spherical organelles of 0.2-1.5 ?m diameter surrounded by a single membrane that are found in all eukaryotic cells and are essential for various metabolic pathways. These organelles are a metabolic hub as they host numerous metabolic pathways such as ?-oxidation of fatty acids and metabolism of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, the latter playing an important role, e.g., in the function of the male gametophyte. Plant peroxisomes function cooperatively with other organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplasts and oil bodies through contacts sites that enable exchange of metabolic products between these organelles. Peroxisomes are highly plastic and motile and move rapidly on the actin cytoskeleton. We suggested that the cytoskeleton is involved in peroxisomal membrane remodelling, because we found out that peroxisomes are associated with cytoskeleton-nucleating factors. The goal is to uncover the mechanism of peroxisome-cytoskeleton interaction by means of methods of co-immunoprecipitation/protein mass spectrometry analysis, superresolution microscopy and correlative light electron microscopy methods (CLEM). Identification of protein interactors and their localization co-by CLEM will allow to determine the function of the cytoskeleton in peroxisome membrane remodeling. Applicants should have the experience in fluorescence and/or confocal microscopic analysis of living cells.

Five relevant publications of the research group:

Martinek, J., Cifrov

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