20We have previously shown TANGO1 organises membranes at the interface of the 21 endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and ERGIC/Golgi (Raote et al., 2018). TANGO1 corrals 22 retrograde membranes at ER exit sites to create an export conduit. Here the retrograde 23 membrane is, in itself, an anterograde carrier. This mode of forward transport necessitates a 24 mechanism to prevent membrane mixing between ER and the retrograde membrane.
25TANGO1 has an unusual membrane helix organisation, composed of one membrane-26 spanning helix (TM) and another that penetrates the inner leaflet (IM). We have reconstituted 27 these membrane helices in model membranes and shown that TM and IM together reduce the 28 flow of lipids at a region of defined shape. We have also shown that the helices align 29 TANGO1 around an ER exit site. We suggest this is a mechanism to prevent membrane 30 mixing during TANGO1-mediated transfer of bulky secretory cargos from the ER to the 31 ERGIC/Golgi via a tunnel. 32 59 ER fold and trimerize into rigid, rod-like elements that are considered too large for 60 conventional COPII coated vesicle-mediated transport (Burgeson et al., 1985; Gorur et al.,