Laboratory of Lipid Trafficking

Research interests

Yeast Lipid Transfer Proteins

We study phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) in two eukaryotic model organisms—the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe—to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying intracellular lipid distribution. Our goal is to elucidate the mode of action of lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) belonging to the CRAL-TRIO family. We are also exploring strategies to prevent the emergence of antifungal drug resistance by selectively inhibiting specific LTPs.

Lipid transfer and signaling in parasites

Non-vesicular lipid transport, mediated by LTPs, enables the exchange of lipids between organelles that are not connected by vesicular trafficking. This process allows for rapid remodeling of the lipidome and correction of imbalances caused by vesicular transport. LTPs play essential roles in numerous cellular pathways. The recent development of specific inhibitors targeting Sec14 family LTPs in fungi opens new avenues to investigate CRAL-TRIO LTPs in parasites such as Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei as potential targets for novel antiparasitic drugs.

Mitochodrial lipids in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a valuable model organism for studying eukaryotic molecular and cellular biology. Mitochondrial biogenesis and genome organization in this petite-negative yeast resemble those of higher eukaryotes more closely than those of the budding yeast S. cerevisiae. However, the biosynthetic pathways of mitochondrial lipids in S. pombe remain poorly characterized. Our goal is to define these pathways, elucidate their regulation, and understand how mitochondrial lipid metabolism is interconnected with other cellular processes.

People

RNDr. Peter Griač, DrSc. – head of the group
RNDr. Dana Tahotná, CSc.
Ing. Lucia Pokorná, PhD.
MSc. Dominik Štastný, PhD.
Mgr. Rebeka Rusnáková – PhD. student
Bc. Michaela Balogová – MSc. student

Selected publications

• ROUCHERAY S. – ŠŤASTNÝ D. – KAUR H. – TAHOTNÁ D. – DACKS J.B. – GRIAČ P. – RICHARD D. Characterization of a phosphoinositide-binding protein containing a PHOX homology domain in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Sci Rep. 2025 Oct 22;15(1):36867.
• ŠŤASTNÝ, Dominik – BALLEKOVÁ, Alena – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – POKORNÁ, Lucia – HOLIČ, Roman – HUMPOLÍČKOVÁ, Jana – GRIAČ, Peter. Characterization of two Plasmodium falciparum lipid transfer proteins of the Sec14/CRAL-TRIO family. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2025 Jan;1870(1):159572.
• ŠŤASTNÝ, Dominik – BÁN PETRISKOVÁ, Lívia – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – BAUER, Jacob – POKORNÁ, Lucia – HOLIČ, Roman – VALACHOVIČ, Martin – PEVALA, Vladimír – COCKCROFT, Shamshad – GRIAČ, Peter. Yeast Sec14-like lipid transfer proteins Pdr16 and Pdr17 bind and transfer the ergosterol precursor lanosterol in addition to phosphatidylinositol. FEBS Lett. 2023 Feb;597(4):504-514.
• HOLIČ, Roman – ŠŤASTNÝ, Dominik – GRIAČ, Peter. Sec14 family of lipid transfer proteins in yeasts. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2021 Oct;1866(10):158990.
• HAPALA, Ivan – GRIAČ, Peter – HOLIČ, Roman. Metabolism of Storage Lipids and the Role of Lipid Droplets in the Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Lipids. 2020 Sep;55(5):513-535.
• BENCOVÁ, Alexandra – GOFFA, Eduard – MORVOVÁ, M. – VALACHOVIČ, Martin – GRIAČ, Peter – TÓTH HERVAY, Nora – GBELSKÁ, Yvetta. The Absence of PDR16 Gene Restricts the Overexpression of CaSNQ2 Gene in the Presence of Fluconazole in Candida albicans. Mycopathologia. 2020 Jun;185(3):455-465. doi: 10.1007/s11046-020-00459-4. Epub 2020 May 25.
• HOLIČ, Roman – POKORNÁ, Lucia – GRIAČ, Peter. Metabolism of phospholipids in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Yeast. 2020 Jan;37(1):73-92.
• PEVALOVÁ, Zuzana – PEVALA, Vladimír* – BLUNSOM, Nicholas J. – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – KOTRASOVÁ, Veronika – HOLIČ, Roman – POKORNÁ, Lucia – BAUER, Jacob – KUTEJOVÁ, Eva – COCKCROFT, Shamshad – GRIAČ, Peter. Yeast phosphatidylinositol transfer protein Pdr17 does not require high affinity phosphatidylinositol binding for its cellular function. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2019 Oct;1864(10):1412-1421.
• VIRČÍKOVÁ, Veronika – POKORNÁ, Lucia* – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – DŽUGASOVÁ, Vladimíra – BALÁŽOVÁ, Mária – GRIAČ, Peter. Schizosaccharomyces pombe cardiolipin synthase is part of a mitochondrial fusion protein regulated by intron retention. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2018 Oct;1863(10):1331-1344.
• POKORNÁ, Lucia – ČERMÁKOVÁ, Petra – HORVÁTH, Anton – BAILE M. G., M. G. – CLAYPOOL S. M., S. M. – GRIAČ, Peter – MALÍNSKÝ, Ján – BALÁŽOVÁ, Mária. Specific degradation of phosphatidylglycerol is necessary for proper mitochondrial morphology and function. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Jan;1857(1):34-45.
• HOLIČ, Roman – ŠIMOVÁ, Zuzana – ASHLIN, T. – PEVALA, Vladimír – POLONCOVÁ, Katarína – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – KUTEJOVÁ, Eva – COCKCROFT, Samshad – GRIAČ, Peter. Phosphatidylinositol binding of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdr16p represents an essential feature of this lipid transfer protein to provide protection against azole antifungals. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014 Oct;1842(10):1483-90.
• LANG, B. Franz – JAKUBKOVÁ, Michaela – HEGEDUSOVÁ, Eva – DAOUD, Rachid – FORGET, Lise – BREJOVÁ, Broňa – VINAŘ, Tomáš – KOSA, Peter – FRIČOVÁ, Dominika – NEBOHÁČOVÁ, Martina – GRIAČ, Peter – TOMÁŠKA, Martin – BURGER, Gertraud – NOSEK, J. Massive programmed translational jumping in mitochondria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Apr 22;111(16):5926-31.
• ŠIMOVÁ, Zuzana – POLONCOVÁ, Katarína – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – HOLIČ, Roman – HAPALA, Ivan – SMITH, A.R. – WHITE, T.C. – GRIAČ, Peter. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdr16p restricts changes in ergosterol biosynthesis caused by the presence of azole antifungals. Yeast. 2013 Jun;30(6):229-41.
• ŠIMOČKOVÁ, Mária – HOLIČ, Roman – TAHOTNÁ, Dana – PATTON-VOGT, Jana – GRIAČ, Peter. Yeast Pgc1p (YPL206c) controls the amount of phosphatidylglycerol via a phospholipase C-type degradation mechanism. J Biol Chem. 2008 Jun 20;283(25):17107-15.
• GRIAČ, Peter. Sec14 related proteins in yeast. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007 Jun;1771(6):737-45.
• FISHER, Edward – ALMAGUER, Claudia – HOLIČ, Roman – GRIAČ, Peter – PATTON-VOGT, Jana. Glycerophosphocholine-dependent growth requires Gde1p (YPL110c) and Git1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biol Chem. 2005 Oct 28;280(43):36110-7.
• SCHNABL, Martina – OSKOLKOVA, Olga V. – HOLIČ, Roman – BREŽNÁ, Barbara – PICHLER, Harald – ZÁGORŠEK, Miloš – KOHLWEIN, Sepp D. – PALTAUF, Fritz – DAUM, Günther – GRIAČ, Peter. Subcellular localization of yeast Sec14 homologues and their involvement in regulation of phospholipid turnover. Eur J Biochem. 2003 Aug;270(15):3133-45.
• GRIAČ, Peter – HENRY, Susan A. The yeast inositol-sensitive upstream activating sequence, UASINO, responds to nitrogen availability. Nucleic Acids Res. 1999 May 1;27(9):2043-50.
• SREENIVAS, Avula – PATTON-VOGT, Jana L. – BRUNO, Vincent – GRIAČ, Peter – HENRY, Susan A. A role for phospholipase D (Pld1p) in growth, secretion, and regulation of membrane lipid synthesis in yeast. J Biol Chem. 1998 Jul 3;273(27):16635-8.
• PATTON-VOGT, Jana L. – GRIAČ, Peter – SREENIVAS, Avula – BRUNO, Vincent – DOWD, Susan – SWEDE, Marci J. – HENRY, Susan A. Role of the yeast phosphatidylinositol/phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (Sec14p) in phosphatidylcholine turnover and INO1 regulation. J Biol Chem. 1997 Aug 15;272(33):20873-83. doi: 10.1074/jbc.272.33.20873.