Claudin like proteins mediate plasma membrane domain formation
Our understanding of plasma membrane organization has evolved substantially during the last decades. Proposed plasma membrane models are ranging from the fluid-mosaic model, the lipid-raft hypothesis to the picket-fence model. However, plasma membrane organization in vivo has still not been fully deciphered. Therefore, I am using yeast as a model system to study fundamental mechanisms and principles of plasma membrane organization. I am combining fluorescence microscopy (TIRF-Microscopy, Super-Resolution-Microscopy), electron microscopy, genetics and biochemistry to investigate how protein and lipid segregation contribute to plasma membrane domain formation.