Workgroup “Membrane Organization and Contact Sites”

Sabrina Büttner
sabrina.buettner@su.se

Katja Zieske
katja.zieske@mpl.mpg.de

Summary

The structural and functional organization of membranes is fundamental to life. Membranes not only define cellular and organelle boundaries and facilitate functional specialization but also serve as dynamic platforms for signaling, transport, and metabolic processes. Virtually all organelles are connected via membrane contact sites, allowing the exchange of lipids, ions, and other metabolites. These organelle interfaces are established by dedicated tethering machineries and are increasingly recognized as key regulators of organelle function, stress responses, and cellular adaptation. Disruption of membrane organization or contact site functionality leads to defects in organelle dynamics and metabolism, contributing to a wide range of pathological conditions.

Recent progress and technological breakthroughs have transformed our understanding of membrane organization and membrane contact sites, offering exciting future directions for fundamental research and therapeutic strategies. The discovery of numerous new molecular tethers and regulatory components of contacts sites, coupled with innovations in lipidomics, reconstituted lipid membrane systems, super-resolution microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, has shed light on the dynamic behavior and diverse functions of these structures. This workgroup brings together researchers interested in structural organization, function, and regulation of membranes and membrane contact sites to foster the exchange of knowledge at the interface of cell biology, biochemistry and biophysics.