In Toon de Kroon鈥檚 lab, we鈥檙e fascinated by how cells keep their membranes in balance. To crack this puzzle, we turn to our favourite model organism, baker鈥檚 yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast is our system of choice because it鈥檚 a eukaryote with membranes similar to ours, yet simple enough to study in detail. It is safe, grows rapidly, and offers broad experimental accessibility through biochemical, genetic, and molecular biology methods.
Membranes define the boundaries of the cell and generate specialized compartments within organelles. While much of cell and molecular biology has traditionally centered on proteins, our research delves into the equally fascinating world of membrane lipids 鈥� linked, of course, also to proteins.
Our analysis of membrane dynamics has revealed a novel regulatory mechanism: cells adjust their acyl chain composition in response to changes in lipid class composition鈥攁nd vice versa鈥攎aintaining membranes in optimal shape. Current work is focused on identifying the key molecular components that underlie this regulatory system.