# Membrane protein biogenesis at the ER

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2023 · $683,292

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
My group seeks to understand, in molecular detail, the steps taken by each of the major classes of membrane
proteins to achieve their final assembled state. About one-quarter of all genes code for membrane proteins
that are first inserted into the plasma membrane of prokaryotes or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of
eukaryotes. These proteins perform many essential functions as receptors, channels, enzymes, anchors and
transporters. Biosynthesis of membrane proteins is an inherently inefficient process, and numerous human
diseases are linked to defective folding of membrane proteins. Thus, understanding how membrane proteins
are made is a fundamental question in cell biology with important implications for the treatment of human
diseases.
 Of the ~5,000 membrane proteins coded in the human genome, the majority have more than one
transmembrane domain. Yet our understanding of how these “multi-pass” proteins are inserted, folded and
assembled into functional entities is at an early stage. Work in my group over the past several years led us to
discover a novel ~390 kDa translocon in the ER that is involved in the biogenesis of most multi-pass
membrane proteins in human cells. We are now focused on defining the molecular mechanisms underlying
this process, using an interdisciplinary set of biochemical, structural, cell biological, genetic and bioinformatic
approaches. These studies promise new insight into the fundamental biological challenge of membrane
protein biogenesis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10652499
- **Project number:** 5R35GM145374-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert J Keenan
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $683,292
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10652499

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10652499, Membrane protein biogenesis at the ER (5R35GM145374-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10652499. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*