WWTF SynthER - Designing a professional-secretory synthetic endoplasmic reticulum in yeasts and plant cells

Reshaping the ER in yeast and plant cells

Inefficient protein folding and secretion pose significant challenges in producing biopharmaceuticals and future food proteins. In many non-mammalian cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) provides limited support for these processes.

In the SynthER project, together with Team Stöger of the Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, we aim to enhance the ER's functionality in yeast and plant cells by mimicking the efficient ER structures of mammalian cells. 

Using synthetic ER-shaping proteins, SynthER will create new ER structures, monitored through advanced microscopy and image analysis, to improve the quality and quantity of secreted proteins. Additionally, we will design programmable synthetic ER exit vesicles (SERV) that can be activated to directly deliver proteins to their destination, bypassing unfavorable cellular functions.

Overall, SynthER will develop sophisticated cell factory concepts by integrating cross-kingdom molecular biology, cutting-edge microscopy, and engineering, significantly advancing synthetic cellular design to benefit biotechnology and medicine.