The yeast lgl family member Sro7p is an effector of the secretory Rab GTPase Sec4p

Rab guanosine triphosphatases regulate intracellular membrane traffic by binding specific effector proteins. The yeast Rab Sec4p plays multiple roles in the polarized transport of post-Golgi vesicles to, and their subsequent fusion with, the plasma membrane, suggesting the involvement of several effectors. Yet, only one Sec4p effector has been documented to date: the exocyst protein Sec15p. The exocyst is an octameric protein complex required for tethering secretory vesicles, which is a prerequisite for membrane fusion. In this study, we describe the identification of a second Sec4p effector, Sro7p, which is a member of the lethal giant larvae tumor suppressor family. Sec4-GTP binds to Sro7p in cell extracts as well as to purified Sro7p, and the two proteins can be coimmunoprecipitated. Furthermore, we demonstrate the formation of a ternary complex of Sec4-GTP, Sro7p, and the t-SNARE Sec9p. Genetic data support our conclusion that Sro7p functions downstream of Sec4p and further imply that Sro7p and the exocyst share partially overlapping functions, possibly in SNARE regulation.     

Sec6p Anchors the Assembled Exocyst Complex at Sites of Secretion

The exocyst is an essential protein complex required for targeting and fusion of secretory vesicles to sites of exocytosis at the plasma membrane. To study the function of the exocyst complex, we performed a structure-based mutational analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae exocyst subunit Sec6p. Two “patches” of highly conserved residues are present on the surface of Sec6p; mutation of either patch does not compromise protein stability. Nevertheless, replacement of SEC6 with the patch mutants results in severe temperature-sensitive growth and secretion defects. At nonpermissive conditions, although trafficking of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane is unimpaired, none of the exocyst subunits are polarized. This is consistent with data from other exocyst temperature-sensitive mutants, which disrupt the integrity of the complex. Surprisingly, however, these patch mutations result in mislocalized exocyst complexes that remain intact. Our results indicate that assembly and polarization of the exocyst are functionally separable events, and that Sec6p is required to anchor exocyst complexes at sites of secretion.     

Regulation of exocytosis by the exocyst subunit Sec6 and the SM protein Sec1

Trafficking of protein and lipid cargo through the secretory pathway in eukaryotic cells is mediated by membrane-bound vesicles. Secretory vesicle targeting and fusion require a conserved multisubunit protein complex termed the exocyst, which has been implicated in specific tethering of vesicles to sites of polarized exocytosis. The exocyst is directly involved in regulating soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes and membrane fusion through interactions between the Sec6 subunit and the plasma membrane SNARE protein Sec9. Here we show another facet of Sec6 function-it directly binds Sec1, another SNARE regulator, but of the Sec1/Munc18 family. The Sec6-Sec1 interaction is exclusive of Sec6-Sec9 but compatible with Sec6-exocyst assembly. In contrast, the Sec6-exocyst interaction is incompatible with Sec6-Sec9. Therefore, upon vesicle arrival, Sec6 is proposed to release Sec9 in favor of Sec6-exocyst assembly and to simultaneously recruit Sec1 to sites of secretion for coordinated SNARE complex formation and membrane fusion.     

The synaptobrevin homologue Snc2p recruits the exocyst to secretory vesicles by binding to Sec6p

A screen for mutations that affect the recruitment of the exocyst to secretory vesicles identified genes encoding clathrin and proteins that associate or colocalize with clathrin at sites of endocytosis. However, no significant colocalization of the exocyst with clathrin was seen, arguing against a direct role in exocyst recruitment. Rather, these components are needed to recycle the exocytic vesicle SNAREs Snc1p and Snc2p from the plasma membrane into new secretory vesicles where they act to recruit the exocyst. We observe a direct interaction between the exocyst subunit Sec6p and the latter half of the SNARE motif of Snc2p. An snc2 mutation that specifically disrupts this interaction led to exocyst mislocalization and a block in exocytosis in vivo without affecting liposome fusion in vitro. Overexpression of Sec4p partially suppressed the exocyst localization defects of mutations in clathrin and clathrin-associated components. We propose that the exocyst is recruited to secretory vesicles by the combinatorial signals of Sec4-GTP and the Snc proteins. This could help to confer both specificity and directionality to vesicular traffic.     

The structure of the exocyst subunit Sec6p defines a conserved architecture with diverse roles

The exocyst is a conserved protein complex essential for trafficking secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. The structure of the C-terminal domain of the exocyst subunit Sec6p reveals multiple helical bundles, which are structurally and topologically similar to Exo70p and the C-terminal domains of Exo84p and Sec15, despite <10% sequence identity. The helical bundles appear to be evolutionarily related molecular scaffolds that have diverged to create functionally distinct exocyst proteins.     

The rab exchange factor Sec2p reversibly associates with the exocyst

Activation of the rab GTPase, Sec4p, by its exchange factor, Sec2p, is needed for polarized transport of secretory vesicles to exocytic sites and for exocytosis. A small region in the C-terminal half of Sec2p regulates its localization. Loss of this region results in temperature-sensitive growth and the depolarized accumulation of secretory vesicles. Here, we show that Sec2p associates with the exocyst, an octameric effector of Sec4p involved in tethering secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Specifically, the exocyst subunit Sec15p directly interacts with Sec2p. This interaction normally occurs on secretory vesicles and serves to couple nucleotide exchange on Sec4p to the recruitment of the Sec4p effector. The mislocalization of Sec2p mutants correlates with dramatically enhanced binding to the exocyst complex. We propose that Sec2p is normally released from the exocyst after vesicle tethering so that it can recycle onto a new round of vesicles. The mislocalization of Sec2p mutants results from a failure to be released from Sec15p, blocking this recycling pathway.     

The role of Sec3p in secretory vesicle targeting and exocyst complex assembly

During membrane trafficking, vesicular carriers are transported and tethered to their cognate acceptor compartments before soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein (SNARE)-mediated membrane fusion. The exocyst complex was believed to target and tether post-Golgi secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane during exocytosis. However, no definitive experimental evidence is available to support this notion. We developed an ectopic targeting assay in yeast in which each of the eight exocyst subunits was expressed on the surface of mitochondria. We find that most of the exocyst subunits were able to recruit the other members of the complex there, and mistargeting of the exocyst led to secretion defects in cells. On the other hand, only the ectopically located Sec3p subunit is capable of recruiting secretory vesicles to mitochondria. Our assay also suggests that both cytosolic diffusion and cytoskeleton-based transport mediate the recruitment of exocyst subunits and secretory vesicles during exocytosis. In addition, the Rab GTPase Sec4p and its guanine nucleotide exchange factor Sec2p regulate the assembly of the exocyst complex. Our study helps to establish the role of the exocyst subunits in tethering and allows the investigation of the mechanisms that regulate vesicle tethering during exocytosis.     

The exocyst is an effector for Sec4p, targeting secretory vesicles to sites of exocytosis

Polarized secretion requires proper targeting of secretory vesicles to specific sites on the plasma membrane. Here we report that the exocyst complex plays a key role in vesicle targeting. Sec15p, an exocyst component, can associate with secretory vesicles and interact specifically with the rab GTPase, Sec4p, in its GTP-bound form. A chain of protein-protein interactions leads from Sec4p and Sec15p on the vesicle, through various subunits of the exocyst, to Sec3p, which marks the sites of exocytosis on the plasma membrane. Sec4p may control the assembly of the exocyst. The exocyst may therefore function as a rab effector system for targeted secretion.     

Vesicles carry most exocyst subunits to exocytic sites marked by the remaining two subunits, Sec3p and Exo70p

Exocytosis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae occurs at discrete domains of the plasma membrane. The protein complex that tethers incoming vesicles to sites of secretion is known as the exocyst. We have used photobleaching recovery experiments to characterize the dynamic behavior of the eight subunits that make up the exocyst. One subset (Sec5p, Sec6p, Sec8p, Sec10p, Sec15p, and Exo84p) exhibits mobility similar to that of the vesicle-bound Rab family protein Sec4p, whereas Sec3p and Exo70p exhibit substantially more stability. Disruption of actin assembly abolishes the ability of the first subset of subunits to recover after photobleaching, whereas Sec3p and Exo70p are resistant. Immunogold electron microscopy and epifluorescence video microscopy indicate that all exocyst subunits, except for Sec3p, are associated with secretory vesicles as they arrive at exocytic sites. Assembly of the exocyst occurs when the first subset of subunits, delivered on vesicles, joins Sec3p and Exo70p on the plasma membrane. Exocyst assembly serves to both target and tether vesicles to sites of exocytosis.     

An internal domain of Exo70p is required for actin-independent localization and mediates assembly of specific exocyst components

The exocyst consists of eight rod-shaped subunits that align in a side-by-side manner to tether secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane in preparation for fusion. Two subunits, Sec3p and Exo70p, localize to exocytic sites by an actin-independent pathway, whereas the other six ride on vesicles along actin cables. Here, we demonstrate that three of the four domains of Exo70p are essential for growth. The remaining domain, domain C, is not essential but when deleted, it leads to synthetic lethality with many secretory mutations, defects in exocyst assembly of exocyst components Sec5p and Sec6p, and loss of actin-independent localization. This is analogous to a deletion of the amino-terminal domain of Sec3p, which prevents an interaction with Cdc42p or Rho1p and blocks its actin-independent localization. The two mutations are synthetically lethal, even in the presence of high copy number suppressors that can bypass complete deletions of either single gene. Although domain C binds Rho3p, loss of the Exo70p-Rho3p interaction does not account for the synthetic lethal interactions or the exocyst assembly defects. The results suggest that either Exo70p or Sec3p must associate with the plasma membrane for the exocyst to function as a vesicle tether.     

The Exocyst Subunit Sec6 Interacts with Assembled Exocytic SNARE Complexes

In eukaryotic cells, membrane-bound vesicles carry cargo between intracellular compartments, to and from the cell surface, and into the extracellular environment. Many conserved families of proteins are required for properly localized vesicle fusion, including the multisubunit tethering complexes and the SNARE complexes. These protein complexes work together to promote proper vesicle fusion in intracellular trafficking pathways. However, the mechanism by which the exocyst, the exocytosis-specific multisubunit tethering complex, interacts with the exocytic SNAREs to mediate vesicle targeting and fusion is currently unknown. We have demonstrated previously that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae exocyst subunit Sec6 directly bound the plasma membrane SNARE protein Sec9 in vitro and that Sec6 inhibited the assembly of the binary Sso1-Sec9 SNARE complex. Therefore, we hypothesized that the interaction between Sec6 and Sec9 prevented the assembly of premature SNARE complexes at sites of exocytosis. To map the determinants of this interaction, we used cross-linking and mass spectrometry analyses to identify residues required for binding. Mutation of residues identified by this approach resulted in a growth defect when introduced into yeast. Contrary to our previous hypothesis, we discovered that Sec6 does not change the rate of SNARE assembly but, rather, binds both the binary Sec9-Sso1 and ternary Sec9-Sso1-Snc2 SNARE complexes. Together, these results suggest a new model in which Sec6 promotes SNARE complex assembly, similar to the role proposed for other tether subunit-SNARE interactions.     

The beta subunit of the Sec61p endoplasmic reticulum translocon interacts with the exocyst complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The exocyst is a conserved protein complex proposed to mediate vesicle tethering at the plasma membrane. Previously, we identified SEB1/SBH1, encoding the beta subunit of the Sec61p ER translocation complex, as a multicopy suppressor of the sec15-1 mutant, defective for one subunit of the exocyst complex. Here we show the functional and physical interaction between components of endoplasmic reticulum translocon and the exocytosis machinery. We show that overexpression of SEB1 suppresses the growth defect in all exocyst sec mutants. In addition, overexpression of SEC61 or SSS1 encoding the other two components of the Sec61p complex suppressed the growth defects of several exocyst mutants. Seb1p was coimmunoprecipitated from yeast cell lysates with Sec15p and Sec8p, components of the exocyst complex, and with Sec4p, a secretory vesicle associated Rab GTPase that binds to Sec15p and is essential for exocytosis. The interaction between Seb1p and Sec15p was abolished in sec15-1 mutant and was restored upon SEB1 overexpression. Furthermore, in wild type cells overexpression of SEB1 as well as SEC4 resulted in increased production of secreted proteins. These findings propose a novel functional and physical link between the endoplasmic reticulum translocation complex and the exocyst.     

Sec1p directly stimulates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion in vitro

Sec1 proteins are critical players in membrane trafficking, yet their precise role remains unknown. We have examined the role of Sec1p in the regulation of post-Golgi secretion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Indirect immunofluorescence shows that endogenous Sec1p is found primarily at the bud neck in newly budded cells and in patches broadly distributed within the plasma membrane in unbudded cells. Recombinant Sec1p binds strongly to the t-SNARE complex (Sso1p/Sec9c) as well as to the fully assembled ternary SNARE complex (Sso1p/Sec9c;Snc2p), but also binds weakly to free Sso1p. We used recombinant Sec1p to test Sec1p function using a well-characterized SNARE-mediated membrane fusion assay. The addition of Sec1p to a traditional in vitro fusion assay moderately stimulates fusion; however, when Sec1p is allowed to bind to SNAREs before reconstitution, significantly more Sec1p binding is detected and fusion is stimulated in a concentration-dependent manner. These data strongly argue that Sec1p directly stimulates SNARE-mediated membrane fusion.     

Sec3p is needed for the spatial regulation of secretion and for the inheritance of the cortical endoplasmic reticulum

Sec3p is a component of the exocyst complex that tethers secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane at exocytic sites in preparation for fusion. Unlike all other exocyst structural genes, SEC3 is not essential for growth. Cells lacking Sec3p grow and secrete surprisingly well at 25 degrees C; however, late markers of secretion, such as the vesicle marker Sec4p and the exocyst subunit Sec8p, localize more diffusely within the bud. Furthermore, sec3Delta cells are strikingly round relative to wild-type cells and are unable to form pointed mating projections in response to alpha factor. These phenotypes support the proposed role of Sec3p as a spatial landmark for secretion. We also find that cells lacking Sec3p exhibit a dramatic defect in the inheritance of cortical ER into the bud, whereas the inheritance of mitochondria and Golgi is unaffected. Overexpression of Sec3p results in a prominent patch of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker Sec61p-GFP at the bud tip. Cortical ER inheritance in yeast has been suggested to involve the capture of ER tubules at the bud tip. Sec3p may act in this process as a spatial landmark for cortical ER inheritance.     

Exo84 and Sec5 are competitive regulatory Sec6/8 effectors to the RalA GTPase

The Sec6/8 complex, also known as the exocyst complex, is an octameric protein complex that has been implicated in tethering of secretory vesicles to specific regions on the plasma membrane. Two subunits of the Sec6/8 complex, Exo84 and Sec5, have recently been shown to be effector targets for active Ral GTPases. However, the mechanism by which Ral proteins regulate the Sec6/8 activities remains unclear. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Ral-binding domain of Exo84 in complex with active RalA. The structure reveals that the Exo84 Ral-binding domain adopts a pleckstrin homology domain fold, and that RalA interacts with Exo84 via an extended interface that includes both switch regions. Key residues of Exo84 and RalA were found that determine the specificity of the complex interactions; these interactions were confirmed by mutagenesis binding studies. Structural and biochemical data show that Exo84 and Sec5 competitively bind to active RalA. Taken together, these results further strengthen the proposed role of RalA-regulated assembly of the Sec6/8 complex.     

Structure of the GTPase-binding domain of Sec5 and elucidation of its Ral binding site

The exocyst complex is involved in the final stages of exocytosis, when vesicles are targeted to the plasma membrane and dock. The regulation of exocytosis is vital for a number of processes, for example, cell polarity, embryogenesis, and neuronal growth formation. Regulation of the exocyst complex in mammals was recently shown to be dependent upon binding of the small G protein, Ral, to Sec5, a central component of the exocyst. This interaction is thought to be necessary for anchoring the exocyst to secretory vesicles. We have determined the structure of the Ral-binding domain of Sec5 and shown that it adopts a fold that has not been observed in a G protein effector before. This fold belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily in a subclass known as IPT domains. We have mapped the Ral binding site on this domain and found that it overlaps with protein-protein interaction sites on other IPT domains but that it is completely different from the G protein-geranyl-geranyl interaction face of the Ig-like domain of the Rho guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor. This mapping, along with available site-directed mutagenesis data, allows us to predict how Ral and Sec5 may interact.     

Membrane association and functional regulation of Sec3 by phospholipids and Cdc42

The exocyst is an octameric protein complex implicated in tethering post-Golgi secretory vesicles at the plasma membrane in preparation for fusion. However, it is not clear how the exocyst is targeted to and physically associates with specific domains of the plasma membrane and how its functions are regulated at those regions. We demonstrate that the N terminus of the exocyst component Sec3 directly interacts with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. In addition, we have identified key residues in Sec3 that are critical for its binding to the guanosine triphosphate–bound form of Cdc42. Genetic analyses indicate that the dual interactions of Sec3 with phospholipids and Cdc42 control its function in yeast cells. Disrupting these interactions not only blocks exocytosis and affects exocyst polarization but also leads to defects in cell morphogenesis. We propose that the interactions of Sec3 with phospholipids and Cdc42 play important roles in exocytosis and polarized cell growth.     

Fission yeast Sec3 and Exo70 are transported on actin cables and localize the exocyst complex to cell poles

The exocyst complex is essential for many exocytic events, by tethering vesicles at the plasma membrane for fusion. In fission yeast, polarized exocytosis for growth relies on the combined action of the exocyst at cell poles and myosin-driven transport along actin cables. We report here the identification of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe Sec3 protein, which we identified through sequence homology of its PH-like domain. Like other exocyst subunits, sec3 is required for secretion and cell division. Cells deleted for sec3 are only conditionally lethal and can proliferate when osmotically stabilized. Sec3 is redundant with Exo70 for viability and for the localization of other exocyst subunits, suggesting these components act as exocyst tethers at the plasma membrane. Consistently, Sec3 localizes to zones of growth independently of other exocyst subunits but depends on PIP(2) and functional Cdc42. FRAP analysis shows that Sec3, like all other exocyst subunits, localizes to cell poles largely independently of the actin cytoskeleton. However, we show that Sec3, Exo70 and Sec5 are transported by the myosin V Myo52 along actin cables. These data suggest that the exocyst holocomplex, including Sec3 and Exo70, is present on exocytic vesicles, which can reach cell poles by either myosin-driven transport or random walk.     

COPII coat subunit interactions: Sec24p and Sec23p bind to adjacent regions of Sec16p.

Formation of COPII-coated vesicles at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) requires assembly onto the membrane of five cytosolic coat proteins, Sec23p, Sec24p, Sec13p, Sec31p, and Sar1p. A sixth vesicle coat component, Sec16p, is tightly associated with the ER membrane and has been proposed to act as a scaffold for membrane association of the soluble coat proteins. We previously showed that Sec23p binds to the C-terminal region of Sec16p. Here we use two-hybrid and coprecipitation assays to demonstrate that the essential COPII protein Sec24p binds to the central region of Sec16p. In vitro reconstitution of binding with purified recombinant proteins demonstrates that the interaction of Sec24p with the central domain of Sec16p does not depend on the presence of Sec23p. However, Sec23p facilitates binding of Sec24p to Sec16p, and the three proteins can form a ternary complex in vitro. Truncations of Sec24p demonstrate that the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of Sec24p display different binding specificities. The C terminus binds to the central domain of Sec16p, whereas the N terminus of Sec24p binds to both the central domain of Sec16p and to Sec23p. These findings define binding to Sec16p as a new function for Sec24p and support the idea that Sec16p organizes assembly of the COPII coat.     

Membrane targeting of the yeast exocyst complex

The exocytosis is a process of fusion of secretory vesicles with plasma membrane, which plays a prominent role in many crucial cellular processes, e.g. secretion of neurotransmitters, cytokinesis or yeast budding. Prior to the SNARE-mediated fusion, the initial contact of secretory vesicle with the target membrane is mediated by an evolutionary conserved vesicle tethering protein complex, the exocyst. In all eukaryotic cells, the exocyst is composed of eight subunits — Sec5, Sec6, Sec8, Sec10, Sec15, Exo84 and two membrane-targeting landmark subunits Sec3 and Exo70, which have been described to directly interact with phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PIP₂) of the plasma membrane. In this work, we utilized coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate structural details of the interaction of yeast Sec3p and Exo70p with lipid bilayers containing PIP₂. We found that PIP₂ is coordinated by the positively charged pocket of N-terminal part of Sec3p, which folds into unique Pleckstrin homology domain. Conversely, Exo70p interacts with the lipid bilayer by several binding sites distributed along the structure of this exocyst subunit. Moreover, we observed that the interaction of Exo70p with the membrane causes clustering of PIP₂ in the adjacent leaflet. We further revealed that PIP₂ is required for the correct positioning of small GTPase Rho1p, a direct Sec3p interactor, prior to the formation of the functional Rho1p-exocyst-membrane assembly. Our results show the critical importance of the plasma membrane pool of PIP₂ for the exocyst function and suggest that specific interaction with acidic phospholipids represents an ancestral mechanism for the exocyst regulation.