Palmitoylation is a post -translational modification of Alix regulating the membrane organization of exosome-like small extracellular vesicles

Methods: Here, we have used an integrated biochemical-biophysical approach to determine whether S-palmitoylation contributes to the regulation of extracellular vesicle production in skeletal muscle cells.

Background: Virtually all cell types have the capacity to secrete nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles, which have emerged in recent years as potent signal transducers and cell-cell communicators. The multifunctional protein Alix is a bona fide exosomal regulator and skeletal muscle cells can release Alix-positive nano-sized extracellular vesicles, offering a new paradigm for understanding how myofibers communicate within skeletal muscle and with other organs. S-palmitoylation is a reversible lipid post-translational modification, involved in different biological processes, such as the trafficking of membrane proteins, achievement of stable protein conformations, and stabilization of protein interactions.