We are pleased to announce the next SCALE Science Lunch Seminar on Wednesday, December 10th, 2025 at 12:30h s.t. This week, we welcome Janine Brunner from the Center for Structural Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, who will give an exciting talk at the MPI for Biophysics lecture hall:
“Molecular mechanisms governing lipid asymmetry in the endoplasmic reticulum”
The seminar will take place in a hybrid format. Attendees joining on-site are invited to enjoy a light lunch and coffee after the talk. Online participation will be available via Zoom:
Zoom link:
https://uni-frankfurt.zoom.us/j/97193552271?pwd=Q1hMU0IwTzVoUmlpN3o1cjZ5VVlxUT09
We look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming SCALE Lunch Seminar!
Phosphatidylserine (PS), the major anionic phospholipid of membranes, is linked to a plethora of biological functions in the eukaryotic cell. PS localizes to the cytosolic leaflet of the plasma membrane but is absent on the cytosolic face of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), even though PS is produced in the ER and distributed from its cytosolic side to acceptor membranes by non-vesicular transport. Recent data indicated that PS is enriched in the luminal leaflet of the ER, but it is unclear how it reaches there and how PS could become available on the cytosolic face from where it is exported. Here, we provide insight into our recent structural work to clarify the origin of PS asymmetry in the ER and draw a model of its cellular distribution pathways.
