News

Examining mechanisms of protein complex at a basic cell biological level

Patrick Sargent
By Patrick Sargent
Feb. 1, 2025

A new study highlighting the importance of a large protein complex called the exocyst in cell growth, division and communication reveals new functions and mechanisms that are essential to how molecules move across a membrane through vesicles in a cell.

Mary Munson
Faith Ninivaggi
Mary Munson

Understanding how these mechanisms work in normal cells at the basic biological level will inform future research into how those functions are disrupted in developmental and neurological disorders.

“It’s the first time a role for membrane fusion has been described for this complex and it’s a breakthrough in how we think about the way the exocyst complex works,” said Mary Munson, professor and vice chair for diversity in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology, associate vice provost for equity in science in the Office of Health Equity and a co-corresponding author on the study published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. The research was done in collaboration with Tae-Young Yoon, professor of biological sciences at the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics at Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea.

“Until our collaborative study, exocyst was understood to recognize and possibly tether secretory vesicles to the cell membrane, prior to exocytosis. In this study, we reveal biophysical studies that indicate exocyst playing several critical roles that directly facilitate fusion of the vesicles with the cell membrane to drive cargo delivery,” Munson said.

Seung-Hak Lee, medical student, School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

Robust control of exocytosis is critical for all cells to grow, divide and communicate properly. Dysfunction of exocyst regulation has been linked to many physiological problems in different organisms.

“It’s really an exciting development in our field, as the exocyst complex had not previously been shown to directly control vesicle fusion,” Munson said. “The complex recognizes the right vessel, the right place on the cell surface and the right time for the cargo to be delivered. It does that by talking to the membrane fusion protein.”

In 2023, Munson received a National Institutes of Health award for $3.3 million over five years to support this research.

Munson was recently named a 2024 recipient of a Zenith Award from the Association for Women in Science. The award honors senior career professionals with a lifetime of innovative achievements in STEM and a commitment to workplace diversity.

This article is republished from the UMass Chan Medical School News. Read the original here.

Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.

Learn more
Patrick Sargent
Patrick Sargent

Patrick Sargent joined the UMass Chan Medical School Communications team in 2022 as a communications writer, covering government and community relations stories, campus events and more for UMass Chan's online news and print publications. Before coming to UMass Chan, Pat was a journalist in the Worcester area for nearly a decade.

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in Science

Science highlights or most popular articles

Using 'nature’s mistakes' as a window into Lafora disease
Feature

Using 'nature’s mistakes' as a window into Lafora disease

July 10, 2025

After years of heartbreak, Lafora disease families are fueling glycogen storage research breakthroughs, helping develop therapies that may treat not only Lafora but other related neurological disorders.

Cracking cancer’s code through functional connections
News

Cracking cancer’s code through functional connections

July 2, 2025

A machine learning–derived protein cofunction network is transforming how scientists understand and uncover relationships between proteins in cancer.

Gaze into the proteomics crystal ball
In-person Conference

Gaze into the proteomics crystal ball

July 1, 2025

The 15th International Symposium on Proteomics in the Life Sciences symposium will be held August 17–21 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Bacterial enzyme catalyzes body odor compound formation
Journal News

Bacterial enzyme catalyzes body odor compound formation

June 27, 2025

Researchers identify a skin-resident Staphylococcus hominis dipeptidase involved in creating sulfur-containing secretions. Read more about this recent Journal of Biological Chemistry paper.

Neurobiology of stress and substance use
Profile

Neurobiology of stress and substance use

June 19, 2025

MOSAIC scholar and proud Latino, Bryan Cruz of Scripps Research Institute studies the neurochemical origins of PTSD-related alcohol use using a multidisciplinary approach.

Pesticide disrupts neuronal potentiation
Journal News

Pesticide disrupts neuronal potentiation

June 17, 2025

New research reveals how deltamethrin may disrupt brain development by altering the protein cargo of brain-derived extracellular vesicles. Read more about this recent Molecular & Cellular Proteomics article.