Dr Christine Salaun

Research Fellow

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Contact

Personal statement

Over the last ten years, S-acylation has emerged as a prominent protein post-translational modification that impacts all physiological systems and is associated with many different disease states, including cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. Quantitative proteomics approaches have indicated that up to 10% of the proteome is modified by S-acylation, and this can affect protein localisation, stability, interactions and function. A family of twenty-three DHHC acyltransferase enzymes whose mechanism of action and regulation are poorly understood mediates S-acylation. Since joining Prof Chamberlain’s group at the University of Strathclyde in 2012, I have been involved in various projects exploring the regulation of DHHC cellular localization in neurons (in collaboration with Dr Trevor Bushell), and in the mechanisms underlying DHHC enzyme-substrate recognition and specificity. S-acylation has received growing interest from Pharma as a potential novel therapeutic target for a range of diseases. However, we lack selective inhibitors of the DHHC enzyme family. I was involved in a collaborative project (with Prof Nicholas Tomkinson) and the Japanese company Ono Pharma Ltd that led to the discovery of novel inhibitors of DHHC enzymes.

I am currently developing projects exploring the contribution of S-acylation to viral biology.

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Publications

Increased TRPV4 channel expression enhances and impairs blood vessel function in hypertension
Zhang Xun, Buckley Charlotte, Lee Matthew D, Salaun Christine, MacDonald Margaret, Wilson Calum, McCarron John G
Hypertension Vol 82, pp. 57-68 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.124.23092
The endoplasmic reticulum-localized enzyme zDHHC6 mediates S-acylation of short transmembrane constructs from multiple type I and II membrane proteins
Salaun Christine, Tomkinson Nicholas CO, Chamberlain Luke H
Journal of Biological Chemistry Vol 299 (2023)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105201
S-acylation of Sprouty and SPRED proteins by the S-acyltransferase zDHHC17 involves a novel mode of enzyme-substrate interaction
Butler Liam, Locatelli Carolina, Allagioti Despoina, Lousa Irina, Lemonidis Kimon, Tomkinson Nicholas C O, Salaun Christine, Chamberlain Luke H
Journal of Biological Chemistry Vol 299 (2023)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102754
Development of a novel high-throughput screen for the identification of new inhibitors of protein S-acylation
Salaun Christine, Takizawa Hiroya, Galindo Alex, Munro Kevin R, McLellan Jayde, Sugimoto Isamu, Okino Tomotaka, Tomkinson Nicholas CO, Chamberlain Luke H
Journal of Biological Chemistry Vol 298 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102469
Accessory proteins of the zDHHC family of S-acylation enzymes
Salaun Christine, Locatelli Carolina, Zmuda Filip, Cabrera González Juan, Chamberlain Luke H
Journal of Cell Science Vol 133 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.251819
Identification of key features required for efficient S-acylation and plasma membrane targeting of Sprouty-2
Locatelli Carolina, Lemonidis Kimon, Salaun Christine, Tomkinson Nicholas C O, Chamberlain Luke H
Journal of Cell Science Vol 133 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.249664

More publications

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Professional Activities

Biochemical Society (The) (External organisation)
Member
2023
Krzysztof Wypijewski
Host
21/9/2022
The Biochemical Society: Lipidation in cell biology and disease conference
Participant
14/9/2021
The Protein Lipidation Conference: Enzymology, Signaling, and Therapeutics -
Participant
1/6/2021
Moninder Bhogal
Host
1/5/2019
Biochemical Society Meeting: Acylation of intracellular and secreted proteins: mechanisms and functional outcomes
Participant
10/9/2018

More professional activities

Projects

Role of S-acylation in viral biology
Salaun, Christine (Researcher) Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator)
01-Jan-2020
zDHHC17 substrate recognition
Salaun, Christine (Researcher) Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator) Tomkinson, Nick (Co-investigator)
01-Jan-2018 - 01-Jan-2020
Identification of inhibitors of S-acylation
Salaun, Christine (Researcher) Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator) Tomkinson, Nick (Principal Investigator) Bushell, Trevor (Principal Investigator) Galindo, Alex (Researcher) Munro, Kevin Ross (Researcher) McLellan, Jayde (Researcher)
01-Jan-2015 - 01-Jan-2018
Intracellular trafficking of DHHC2 in neuroendocrine cells and neurons
Salaun, Christine (Researcher) Chamberlain, Luke (Principal Investigator) Bushell, Trevor (Principal Investigator)
01-Jan-2012 - 01-Jan-2015

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Contact

Dr Christine Salaun
Research Fellow
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Email: christine.salaun@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted