The Füllekrug Lab
Subcellular targeting of proteins and lipids
The overall focus of our lab is the intracellular sorting of membrane proteins and lipids. We are interested in particular how proteins and lipids are interacting to organize the metabolism of fatty acids during the biogenesis of lipid droplets.
Formation of lipid droplets is an essential function of all eukaryotic cells, and the regulation processes involved are highly relevant for the development of obesity and diabetes type II. Biogenesis of lipid droplets starts with the uptake and activation of fatty acids, and we have been characterizing the proteins involved, in particular enzymes of the fatty acyl-CoA synthetase family.
Our model system are mammalian tissue culture cells which are manipulated by techniques of molecular biology, especially through the expression of mutated proteins designed to reveal functional aspects. We combine both microscopy and biochemistry for analysis.
Selected publications
Poppelreuther, M., Rudolph, B., Du, C., Grossmann, R., Becker, M., Thiele, C., Ehehalt, R. and J. Füllekrug
The N-terminal region of acyl-CoA synthetase 3 is essential for both the localization on lipid droplets and the function in fatty acid uptake
J Lipid Res 53(5), 888-890 (2012)
Digel, M., Staffer, S., Ehehalt, R., Stremmel, W. and J. Füllekrug
FATP4 contributes as an enzyme to the basal and insulin mediated fatty acid uptake of C2C12 muscle cells
Am J Physiol Endocr Metab. 301, 758-965, (2011)
Digel, M., Ehehalt, R. and J. Füllekrug
Lipid droplets lighting up: Insights from live microscopy
FEBS Lett. 584, 2168-2175, (2010)
Weiss, K.H., Carbajo, J., Tuma, S., Gotthardt, D., Reichert, J., Ehehalt, R., Stremmel, W. and J. Füllekrug
Copper induced translocation of the Wilson disease protein ATP7B independent of Murr1/ COMMD1 and rab7
Am J Pathol. 173 (6), 1783-94 (2008)
Milger, K., Herrmann, T., Becker, C., Gotthardt, D., Zickwolf, J., Ehehalt, R., Watkins, P.A., Stremmel, W. and J. Füllekrug
Cellular uptake of fatty acids driven by the ER localized acyl-CoA synthetase FATP4
J Cell Sci. 119, 4678-88, (2006)
