Faculty Talk - Rebecca Voorhees
Abstract: In the average human cell, ~10-20 million proteins are produced every minute. Each of these nascent polypeptides must be accurately synthesized, targeted to the correct cellular compartment, folded, and assembled into functional macromolecular complexes. These steps must occur in tight coordination with quality control machinery to recognize nascent polypeptides that fail at any step of the maturation process. The balance between biogenesis and quality control is critical for cellular proteostasis, and varies dramatically between cell types and under different environmental stimuli. We study the molecular details of this fundamental process, with the goal of understanding the logic used to establish and maintain unique protein compositions within cellular compartments. Here we present our recent work uncovering novel pathways specifically for the membrane protein integration, complex assembly, and quality control at the mitochondria and ER. A detailed understanding of the rules governing protein sorting and localization will provide the insight for manipulating protein flux, first in cells, then in organisms, and finally as a strategy to treat disease.