Meir Aridor, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor
  • Department of Cell Biology

Education & Training

  • Ph.D. in Chemical Immunology from Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Isreal, 1994
  • M.Sc. in Chemical Immunology from Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Isreal, 1989
  • B.Sc. in Life Science from Tel Aviv University, Isreal, 1987

Research Interest Summary

Proteostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER): vesicular export and quality control in health and disease states.

Research Categories

Research Interests

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the first compartment of the secretor pathway. Plasma membrane receptors, ion channels, hormones and secreted enzymes are few examples of proteins that are being processed and sorted for vesicular transport in the ER. The development of a variety of human diseases, ranging from hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis or hereditary emphysema to Pelizaeus-Merzbacher or ALS and Alzheimer's neurodegeneration can be derived from mistakes in ER sorting. Viruses such as coxsackie, polio, cytomegalovirus, HIV-1 Epstein-Barr and others manipulate sorting to self propagate and/or to evade immune surveillance. 

We take a multi disciplinary approach using a wide range of molecular, biochemical, biophysical and cellular techniques to unravel the molecular basis for protein and lipid sorting in the ER. Specifically, we use these approaches to address several related questions including the following: 1. What is the physical basis for membrane shaping and fission during ER exit? 2.What is the molecular basis for the assembly and organization of ER exit sites (ERES)? 3. How is the molecular machinery that organizes ERES regulated to couple ER sorting activities with physiological demands? 4. How are quality control activities in the ER coupled with cellular lipid homeostasis in normal and disease states?

Representative Publications

Klinkenberg D., Long K.R., Shome K., Watkins S.C., and M. Aridor (2014) A cascade of ER exit site assembly that is regulated by p125A and lipid signals. J. Cell Sci. 127:1765-78. PMID: 24522181

Long K.R., Yamamoto Y., Baker A.L., Watkins S.C., Coyne C.B., Conway J.F. and M. Aridor (2010) Sar1 Assembly Regulates Membrane Constriction and ER export. J. Cell Biol. 190:115-28. PMID: 20624903

M. Aridor and K. N. Fish (2009) Selective Targeting of ER Exit Sites Supports Axon Development. Traffic. 10 (11): 1669-84. PMID: 19761544

M. Aridor, (2007) Visiting the ER: The Endoplasmic Reticulum as a target for therapeutics in traffic related diseases. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 10; 59(8): 759-81. PMID: 17681635

A. Blumental-Perry, C.J. Haney, K.M. Weixel, S.C. Watkins, O.A. Weisz, and M. Aridor (2006) Phosphatidylinositol 4-Phosphate Formation at ER Exit Sites Regulates ER Export. Developmental Cell 11, 671-682. PMID: 17084359

Bielli A., C.J. Haney, G. Gabreski, S. C. Watkins, S. I. Bannykh and M. Aridor, (2005) Regulation of Sar1 N-terminus by GTP Binding and Hydrolysis Promotes Membrane Deformation to Control COPII Vesicle Fission. J. Cell Biol. 171: 919-24. PMID: 16344311

M. Aridor, Guzic, A.K., Bielli, A. and Kenneth N. Fish (2004) Endoplasmic Reticulum Export Site Formation and Function in Dendrites. J. Neuroscience 24, 3770-3776. PMID: 15084657

P. Pathre, K. Shome, A. Blumental-Perry, A. Bielli , C.J. Haney, S Alber, S. Watkins, G. Romero, and M. Aridor (2003) Activation of Phospholipase D by the Small GTPase Sar1 Is Required to support COPII Assembly and ER Export. EMBO J. 22: 4059-4069. PMID: 12912905

 Aridor M, Traub LM. (2002) Cargo selection in vesicular transport: the making and breaking of a coat. Traffic 3(8): 537-46

M. Aridor and L. A. Hannan (2000) Traffic Jam: A compendium of Human Diseases that affect Intracellular Transport Processes. Traffic, 1 836-851

Full List of Publications