We solved the cryo-EM structure of an inhibitory Nb bound to the EMC showing a steric clash with Ca2+ channel binding. When introduced into cardiomyocytes that endogenously express both EMC and Ca2+ channel, this Nb strongly blocked contraction (no beating or calcium waves)
We found that EMC engages the Ca2+ channel co-translationally as part of a large ribosome-multipass-translocon-EMC supercomplex, likely to protect vulnerable channel folding intermediates from misrecognition by ER quality control. We anticipate that other multi-bundle channels/transporters face
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Tino Pleiner
Tino Pleiner
The ER membrane protein complex acts as a chaperone to promote the biogenesis of multi-bundle membrane proteins https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699575v1
