The IRCM is proud to announce that Laura Quirion, a doctoral candidate in molecular biology at the Université de Montréal in the laboratory of Dr. Jean-François Côté, has been awarded the Relève étoile Jacques-Genest prize from the Fonds de recherche du Québec for her article “Mapping the global interactome of the ARF family reveals spatial organization in cellular signaling pathways”, published in May 2024 in the Journal of Cell Science.
‘’It gives me great pleasure to see such a talented scientist working at our institute and receiving such just recognition,” said Dr. Jean-François Côté, who is also President and Director of the IRCM, adding: ”Excellence in science requires hard work and passion. Laura perfectly embodies these cardinal virtues, which pave the way for tomorrow's therapeutic discoveries.’’
Unprecedented mapping of cellular interactions
Laura's study focuses on the ARF and ARL proteins, which play a key role in cell function by acting as molecular “switches”. These proteins activate or inhibit certain cellular functions, but their precise mode of action remained largely unknown. Using an innovative technique called BioID, Laura Quirion and her team drew up a detailed map of the interactions between these proteins and other cellular components.
The analysis revealed around 3,000 interactions, highlighting unexpected localizations of certain proteins, notably ARL4D and ARL10. This discovery helps scientists to better understand where and how these proteins exert their influence in the cell. The study also revealed that the little-studied ARL14 protein is found only in the stomach and intestines.
Towards new perspectives in cell biology
One of the key results of the research was the discovery of the role of ARL14 in the activation of phospholipase D1, an enzyme involved in the regulation of cell membranes. In addition, this protein appears to play a key role in the transport of certain molecules within cells by interacting with a complex known as ESCPE-1.
These advances provide valuable information on the organization of ARF and ARL proteins in the cell and pave the way for new research to better understand their action in various diseases. Thanks to these discoveries, Laura Quirion is helping to advance our understanding of cell function, paving the way for potential medical applications.
