Vacuole membrane contact sites and domains: emerging hubs to coordinate organelle function with cellular metabolism

Abstract

Eukaryotic cells rely on a set of membrane-enclosed organelles to perform highly efficient reactions in an optimized environment. Trafficking of molecules via vesicular carriers and membrane contact sites (MCS) allow the coordination between these compartments, though the precise mechanisms are still enigmatic. Among the cellular organelles, the lysosome/vacuole stands out as a central hub, where multiple pathways merge. Importantly, the delivered material is degraded and the monomers are recycled for further usage, which explains its wide variety of roles in controlling cellular metabolism. We will highlight recent advances in the field by focusing on the yeast vacuole as a model system to understand lysosomal function in general.