IMSR Public Seminar: "GPCR folding and misfolding: a common mechanism for loss-of-function?"

About this talk

Dr Eline Koers will give a talk about G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are membrane proteins that participate in every physiological response in humans and are targeted by 30% of current drugs. Folding and maturation defects are predicted to be most common causes of GPCR loss-of-function. Because of the hundreds of GPCRs in our genome, 1 in 20 people are potentially affected by mutations in GPCRs that could share a common mechanism through misfolding. Folding is guided by molecular chaperones that perform quality control during GPCR biogenesis. Many elementary questions around transmembrane protein biogenesis and the role of molecular chaperones in the process remain unanswered. The objective of Eline’s research is to study GPCR misfolding and the role of molecular chaperones GPCR biogenesis starting with quantification of the subcellular localisation of low surface expressing mutants of the Vasopressin 2 Receptor. 

Please do not record any part of the talk or photograph or take any screenshots of the slides presented

About the speaker

Eline started her career as a NMR specialist studying membrane proteins. She then branched out to study protein folding using single molecule force spectroscopy. Recently, she started to focus on membrane protein folding, in particular GPCRs.