Chemical Cell Biology Laboratory

Group leader
Xabier Contreras Gómez
Research goal

We aim to understand the molecular mechanisms by which lipids regulate membrane protein activities and function and the impact of such lipid/protein assemblies in a subset of human diseases (cancer, neurodegenerative) and to map membrane protein-lipid interactome networks in the cell. The long-term objective is to obtain the cell blueprint that will help to understand and overcome biological processes and their consequences in human diseases. In short, knowing how to read the cell blueprint will tell us, for instance, how and what drives cancer and what part of the networks should be target before and after the network adapts and mutates.

Group members
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ikerbasque Research Associate
University Lecturer
Publications

Sastre DE, Basso LGM, Trastoy B, Cifuente JO, Contreras X, Gueiros-Filho F, de Mendoza D, Navarro MVAS, Guerin ME. J Biol Chem. 2020 Feb 14;295(7):2136-2147.

Membrane fluidity adjusts the insertion of the transacylase PlsX to regulate phospholipid biosynthesis in Gram-positive bacteria.
PMC7029129
10.1074/jbc.RA119.011122

Nieto-Garai JA, Glass B, Bunn C, Giese M, Jennings G, Brankatschk B, Agarwal S, Börner K, Contreras FX, Knölker HJ, Zankl C, Simons K, Schroeder C, Lorizate M, Kräusslich HG. Front Immunol. 2018 Sep 4; 9:1983.

Lipidomimetic Compounds Act as HIV-1 Entry Inhibitors by Altering Viral Membrane Structure.
PMC6131562
10.3389/fimmu.2018.01983

Ahyayauch H, García-Arribas AB, Sot J, González-Ramírez EJ, Busto JV, Monasterio BG, Jiménez-Rojo N, Contreras FX, Rendón-Ramírez A, Martin C, Alonso A, Goñi FM. Sci Rep. 2018 May 10;8(1):7456. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25905-8.

Pb(II) Induces Scramblase Activation and Ceramide-Domain Generation in Red Blood Cells.
PMC5945622
10.1038/s41598-018-25905-8