Cell Biology of SLC26

Trafficking and interaction with associated proteins are suspected as the cardinal mechanisms for regulation of SLC26 activity and for defining their mode of transport in specific cellular environments. To understand these processes, we will scrutinize subcellular localization and the dynamics of intracellular trafficking for epithelial SLC26 isoforms in both systems and their native cellular environment by cellular imaging. Given the relevance of SLC26 transporters in epithelia, we will pay particular attention to cellular mechanisms controlling polarized localization and function. To understand the underlying cellular mechanisms and regulatory pathways, we will further address the unknown interactome of these isoforms by proteomic analysis. The width of technical expertise in this Research Unit will subsequently allow for rapid characterization of newly identified SLC26 interaction partners in terms of molecular interaction, structure, and their functional effects on transport activity in defined and representative cellular environments.