The nanoscale organization of reticulon 4 shapes local endoplasmic reticulum structure in situ.

ABSTRACT: The endoplasmic reticulum’s (ER) structure is directly linked to the many functions of the ER but its formation is not fully understood. We investigate how the ER-membrane curving protein reticulon 4 (Rtn4) localizes to and organizes in the membrane and how that affects local ER structure. We show a strong correlation between the local Rtn4 density and the local ER membrane curvature. Our data further reveal that the typical ER tubule possesses an elliptical cross-section with Rtn4 enriched at either end of the major axis. Rtn4 oligomers are linear-shaped, contain about five copies of the protein, and preferentially orient parallel to the tubule axis. Our observations support a mechanism in which oligomerization leads to an increase of the local Rtn4 concentration with each molecule incr

SUBMITTER: Fuentes LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9900957 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature