Emc8, a component of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex (EMC), is crucial for the insertion of diverse transmembrane proteins into the plasma membrane [2]. Each EMC consists of Emc1-7, Emc10, along with either Emc8 or Emc9. The EMC is involved in the biogenesis of multi-pass transmembrane proteins, which is vital for normal cellular function [3]. Genetic models, such as Drosophila models, have been used to study its function [3].

In a study on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the methylation level in the promoter region of Emc8 increased after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in the responder group, indicating a potential link between FMT-induced methylation changes and the disease mechanism [1].

In conclusion, Emc8 is essential for the proper insertion and biogenesis of transmembrane proteins. The discovery of its promoter methylation change in SLE patients after FMT through model-based research provides insights into the role of Emc8 in this autoimmune disease, potentially offering new directions for understanding the disease mechanism and developing treatment strategies.

References:

1. Zhang, Bo, Zhou, Wenhui, Liu, Qianmei, Zhao, Ming, Lu, Qianjin. 2023. Effects of fecal microbiota transplant on DNA methylation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In Journal of autoimmunity, 141, 103047. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103047. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37179169/

2. Marquez, Jonathan, Aslam, Faiza, Khokha, Mustafa K. 2023. Expanding EMC foldopathies: Topogenesis deficits alter the neural crest. In Genesis (New York, N.Y. : 2000), 61, e23520. doi:10.1002/dvg.23520. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37318954/

3. Satoh, Takunori, Ohba, Aya, Liu, Ziguang, Inagaki, Tsuyoshi, Satoh, Akiko K. 2015. dPob/EMC is essential for biosynthesis of rhodopsin and other multi-pass membrane proteins in Drosophila photoreceptors. In eLife, 4, . doi:10.7554/eLife.06306. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25715730/