PKD controls mitotic Golgi complex fragmentation through a Raf–MEK1 pathway

Before entering mitosis, the stacks of the Golgi cisternae are separated from each other, and inhibiting this process delays entry of mammalian cells into mitosis. Protein kinase D (PKD) is known to be involved in Golgi-to–cell surface transport by controlling the biogenesis of specific transport carriers. Here we show that depletion of PKD1 and PKD2 proteins from HeLa cells by small interfering RNA leads to the accumulation of cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle and prevents cells from entering mitosis. We further provide evidence that inhibition of PKD blocks mitotic Raf-1 and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) activation, and, as a consequence, mitotic Golgi fragmentation, which could be rescued by expression of active MEK1. Finally, Golgi fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analyses demonstrate that PKD is crucial for the cleavage of the noncompact zones of Golgi membranes in G2 phase. Our findings suggest that PKD controls interstack Golgi connections in a Raf-1/MEK1–dependent manner, a process required for entry of the cells into mitosis.     

Identification of lysosomal and Golgi localization signals in GAP and ARF domains of ARF domain protein 1

ADP ribosylation factors (ARFs) are approximately 20-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that activate cholera toxin and phospholipase D and are critical components of vesicular trafficking pathways. ARF domain protein 1 (ARD1), a member of the ARF superfamily, contains a 46-kDa amino-terminal extension, which acts as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) with activity towards its ARF domain. When overexpressed, ARD1 was associated with lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus. In agreement with this finding, lysosomal and Golgi membranes isolated from human liver by immunoaffinity contained native ARD1. ARD1, expressed as a green fluorescent fusion protein, was initially associated with the Golgi network and subsequently appeared on lysosomes, suggesting that ARD1 might undergo vectorial transport between the two organelles. Here we show by microscopic colocalization that GAP and ARF domains determine lysosomal and Golgi localization, respectively, consistent with the presence of more than one signal motif. Using truncated ARD1 molecules, expressed as green fluorescent fusion proteins, it was found that the signal for lysosomal localization was present in residues 301 to 402 of the GAP domain. Site-specific mutagenesis demonstrated that the sequence (369)KXXXQ(373) in the GAP domain was responsible for lysosomal localization. Association of ARD1 with the Golgi apparatus required tyrosine-based motifs. A green fluorescent fusion protein containing the QKQQQQF motif was partially associated with lysosomes, suggesting that this motif contains the information sufficient for lysosomal targeting. These results suggest that ARD1 is a multidomain protein with ARF and GAP regions, which contain Golgi and lysosomal localization signals, respectively, that could function in vesicular trafficking.     

Site-1 protease-activated formation of lysosomal targeting motifs is independent of the lipogenic transcription control

Site-1 protease (S1P) cleaves membrane-bound lipogenic sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) and the α/β-subunit precursor protein of the N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase forming mannose 6-phosphate (M6P) targeting markers on lysosomal enzymes. The translocation of SREBPs from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi-resident S1P depends on the intracellular sterol content, but it is unknown whether the ER exit of the α/β-subunit precursor is regulated. Here, we investigated the effect of cholesterol depletion (atorvastatin treatment) and elevation (LDL overload) on ER-Golgi transport, S1P-mediated cleavage of the α/β-subunit precursor, and the subsequent targeting of lysosomal enzymes along the biosynthetic and endocytic pathway to lysosomes. The data showed that the proteolytic cleavage of the α/β-subunit precursor into mature and enzymatically active subunits does not depend on the cholesterol content. In either treatment, lysosomal enzymes are normally decorated with M6P residues, allowing the proper sorting to lysosomes. In addition, we found that, in fibroblasts of mucolipidosis type II mice and Niemann-Pick type C patients characterized by aberrant cholesterol accumulation, the proteolytic cleavage of the α/β-subunit precursor was not impaired. We conclude that S1P substrate-dependent regulatory mechanisms for lipid synthesis and biogenesis of lysosomes are different.     

The trafficking of prosaposin (SGP-1) and GM2AP to the lysosomes of TM4 Sertoli cells is mediated by sortilin and monomeric adaptor proteins

Prosaposin (SGP-1) and GM2 activator protein (GM2AP) are soluble sphingolipid activator proteins (SAPs) that are targeted to the lysosomal compartment of Sertoli cells to aid hydrolases in the breakdown of glycosphingolipids. To reach the lysosome, most soluble proteins must interact with the mannose 6-phosphate receptor (MPR). To be sorted from the Golgi, the MPR must bind to the Golgi associated, gamma-adaptin homologous, ARF binding proteins (GGAs), a group of monomeric adaptor proteins responsible for the recruitment of clathrin. It is well established, however, that the lysosomes of I-cell disease (ICD) patients have near normal levels of several lysosomal proteins, including prosaposin and GM2AP. ICD results from a mutation in the phosphotransferase that adds mannose 6-phosphate to hydrolases. Thus, prosaposin and GM2AP can traffic to lysosomes in a MPR independent manner. Previous work has demonstrated that an interaction with sphingomyelin in the Golgi membrane is necessary for the targeting of prosaposin by an unknown receptor. Using a TM4 Sertoli cell line, we tested the hypothesis that prosaposin and GM2AP are targeted to the lysosomal compartment via the sortilin receptor, which has been recently shown to have a GGA binding motif. Interestingly, dominant-negative GGAs, unable to bind clathrin to shuttle from the Golgi, prevented the trafficking of prosaposin and GM2AP to lysosomes. A dominant negative construct of sortilin lacking the GGA binding domain retained prosaposin and GM2AP in the Golgi. In conclusion, our results showed that the trafficking of prosaposin and GM2AP to the lysosome is dependent on sortilin.     

Protein kinase D 3 is localized in vesicular structures and interacts with vesicle-associated membrane protein 2

Protein kinase D localizes in the Golgi and regulates protein transport from the Golgi to the plasma membrane. In the present study, we found that PKD3, a novel member of the PKD family, and its fluorescent protein fusions localized in the Golgi and in the vesicular structures that are in part marked by endosome markers. Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) showed that the PKD3-associated vesicular structures were constantly forming and dissolving, reflecting active subcellular structures. FRAP on plasma membrane-located PKD3 indicated a slower recovery of PKD3 fluorescent signal compared to those of PKC isoforms, implying a different targeting mechanism at the plasma membrane. VAMP2, the vesicle-localized v-SNARE, was later identified as a novel binding partner of PKD3 through yeast two-hybrid screening. PKD3 directly interacted with VAMP2 in vitro and in vivo, and colocalized in part with VAMP2 vesicles in cells. PKD3 did not phosphorylate VAMP-GFP and the purified GST-VAMP2 protein in in vitro phosphorylation assays. Rather, PKD3 was found to promote the recruitment of VAMP2 vesicles to the plasma membrane in response to PMA, while the kinase dead PKD3 abolished this effect. Thus, the kinase activity of PKD3 was required for PMA-induced plasma membrane trafficking of VAMP2. In summary, our findings suggest that PKD3 localizes to vesicular structures that are part of the endocytic compartment. The vesicular distribution may be attributed in part to the direct interaction between PKD3 and vesicle-associated membrane protein VAMP2, through which PKD3 may regulate VAMP2 vesicle trafficking by facilitating its recruitment to the target membrane.     

Protein kinase D interacts with Golgi via its cysteine-rich domain

Protein kinase D (PKD)/protein kinase Cmu is a serine/threonine protein kinase that has been localized in the cytosol and in several intracellular compartments including Golgi, mitochondria and plasma membrane. Using real time imaging of fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged PKD, we have found that the accumulation of PKD in the Golgi compartment, following a temperature shift from 37 to 20 degrees C, was mediated by the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of PKD. The CRD of PKD also mediates its interaction with the plasma membrane, further supporting the conclusion that the CRD of PKD may act as a subcellular localization signal.     

The destination for single-pass membrane proteins is influenced markedly by the length of the hydrophobic domain

The tonoplast was proposed as a default destination of membrane-bound proteins without specific targeting signals. To investigate the nature of this targeting, we created type I fusion proteins with green fluorescent protein followed by the transmembrane domain of the human lysosomal protein LAMP1. We varied the length of the transmembrane domain from 23 to either 20 or 17 amino acids by deletion within the hydrophobic domain. The resulting chimeras, called TM23, TM20, and TM17, were expressed either transiently or stably in tobacco. TM23 clearly accumulated in the plasmalemma, as confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. In contrast, TM17 clearly was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, and TM20 accumulated in small mobile structures. The nature of the TM20-labeled compartments was investigated by coexpression with a marker localized mainly in the Golgi apparatus, AtERD2, fused to a yellow fluorescent protein. The strict colocalization of both fluorescent proteins indicated that TM20 accumulated in the Golgi apparatus. To further test the default destination of type I membrane proteins, green fluorescent protein was fused to the 19-amino acid transmembrane domain of the plant vacuolar sorting receptor BP-80. The resulting chimera also accumulated in the Golgi instead of in post-Golgi compartments, where native BP-80 localized. Additionally, when the transmembrane domain of BP-80 was lengthened to 22 amino acids, the reporter escaped the Golgi and accumulated in the plasma membrane. Thus, the tonoplast apparently is not a favored default destination for type I membrane proteins in plants. Moreover, the target membrane where the chimera concentrates is not unique and depends at least in part on the length of the membrane-spanning domain.     

Protein Kinase D Controls the Integrity of Golgi Apparatus and the Maintenance of Dendritic Arborization in Hippocampal Neurons

Protein kinase D (PKD) is known to participate in various cellular functions, including secretory vesicle fission from the Golgi and plasma membrane-directed transport. Here, we report on expression and function of PKD in hippocampal neurons. Expression of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged PKD activity reporter in mouse embryonal hippocampal neurons revealed high endogenous PKD activity at the Golgi complex and in the dendrites, whereas PKD activity was excluded from the axon in parallel with axonal maturation. Expression of fluorescently tagged wild-type PKD1 and constitutively active PKD1^S738/742E (caPKD1) in neurons revealed that both proteins were slightly enriched at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and did not interfere with its thread-like morphology. By contrast, expression of dominant-negative kinase inactive PKD1^K612W (kdPKD1) led to the disruption of the neuronal Golgi complex, with kdPKD1 strongly localized to the TGN fragments. Similar findings were obtained from transgenic mice with inducible, neuron-specific expression of kdPKD1-EGFP. As a prominent consequence of kdPKD1 expression, the dendritic tree of transfected neurons was reduced, whereas caPKD1 increased dendritic arborization. Our results thus provide direct evidence that PKD activity is selectively involved in the maintenance of dendritic arborization and Golgi structure of hippocampal neurons.     

Role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in the sorting and transport of newly synthesized lysosomal enzymes in mammalian cells

Previous work with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has demonstrated a role for a phosphatidylinositol-specific PI 3-kinase, the product of the VPS34 gene, in the targeting of newly synthesized proteins to the vacuole, an organelle functionally equivalent to mammalian lysosomes (Schu, P. V., K. Takegawa, M. J. Fry, J. H. Stack, M. D. Waterfield, and S. D. Emr. 1993. Science [Wash. DC]. 260:88-91). The activity of Vps34p kinase is significantly reduced by the PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin, a fungal metabolite, and LY294002, a quercetin analog (Stack, J. H., and S. D. Emr. 1994. J. Biol. Chem. 269:31552-31562). We show here that at concentrations which inhibit VPS34-encoded PI 3- kinase activity, wortmannin also inhibits the processing and delivery of newly synthesized cathepsin D to lysosomes in mammalian cells with half-maximal inhibition of delivery occurring at 100 nM wortmannin. As a result of wortmannin action, newly synthesized, unprocessed cathepsin D is secreted into the media. Moreover, after accumulation in the trans- Golgi network (TGN) at 20 degrees C, cathepsin D was rapidly missorted to the secretory pathway after addition of wortmannin and shifting to 37 degrees C. At concentrations that inhibited lysosomal enzyme delivery, both wortmannin and LY294002 caused a highly specific dilation of mannose 6-phosphate receptor (M6PR)-enriched vesicles of the prelysosome compartment (PLC), which swelled to approximately 1 micron within 15 min after treatment. With increasing time, the inhibitors caused a significant yet reversible change in M6PR distribution. By 3 h of treatment, the swollen PLC vacuoles were essentially depleted of receptors and, in addition, there was a fourfold loss of receptors from the cell surface. However, M6PRs were still abundant in the TGN. These results are most consistent with the interpretation that PI 3-kinase regulates the trafficking of lysosomal enzymes by interfering with a M6PR-dependent sorting event in the TGN. Moreover, they provide evidence that trafficking of soluble hydrolases to mammalian lysosomes and yeast vacuoles rely on similar regulatory mechanisms.     

Kinetics of intracellular transport and sorting of lysosomal membrane and plasma membrane proteins

We have used monospecific antisera to two lysosomal membrane glycoproteins, lgp120 and a similar protein, lgp110, to compare the biosynthesis and intracellular transport of lysosomal membrane components, plasma membrane proteins, and lysosomal enzymes. In J774 cells and NRK cells, newly synthesized lysosomal membrane and plasma membrane proteins (the IgG1/IgG2b Fc receptor or influenza virus hemagglutinin) were transported through the Golgi apparatus (defined by acquisition of resistance to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H) with the same kinetics (t1/2 = 11-14 min). In addition, immunoelectron microscopy of normal rat kidney cells showed that lgp120 and vesicular stomatitis virus G-protein were present in the same Golgi cisternae demonstrating that lysosomal and plasma membrane proteins were not sorted either before or during transport through the Golgi apparatus. To define the site at which sorting occurred, we compared the kinetics of transport of lysosomal and plasma membrane proteins and a lysosomal enzyme to their respective destinations. Newly synthesized proteins were detected in dense lysosomes (lgp's and beta-glucuronidase) or on the cell surface (Fc receptor or hemagglutinin) after the same lag period (20-25 min), and accumulated at their final destinations with similar kinetics (t1/2 = 30-45 min), suggesting that these two lgp's are not transported to the plasma membrane before reaching lysosomes. This was further supported by measurements of the transport of membrane-bound endocytic markers from the cell surface to lysosomes, which exhibited additional lag periods of 5-15 min and half-times of 1.5-2 h. The time required for transport of newly synthesized plasma membrane proteins to the cell surface, and for the transport of plasma membrane markers from the cell surface to lysosomes would appear too long to account for the rapid transport of lgp's from the Golgi apparatus to lysosomes. Thus, the observed kinetics suggest that lysosomal membrane proteins are sorted from plasma membrane proteins at a post-Golgi intracellular site, possibly the trans Golgi network, before their delivery to lysosomes.     

Involvement of Protein Kinase D1 in Signal Transduction from the Protein Kinase C Pathway to the Tyrosine Kinase Pathway in Response to Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone

The receptor for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) belongs to the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and its stimulation activates extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK). We found that the transactivation of ErbB4 was involved in GnRH-induced ERK activation in immortalized GnRH neurons (GT1–7 cells). We found also that GnRH induced the cleavage of ErbB4. In the present study, we examined signal transduction for the activation of ERK and the cleavage of ErbB4 after GnRH treatment. Both ERK activation and ErbB4 cleavage were completely inhibited by YM-254890, an inhibitor of G_q/11 proteins. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) markedly decreased both ERK activation and ErbB4 cleavage. Experiments with two types of PKC inhibitors, Gö 6976 and bisindolylmaleimide I, indicated that novel PKC isoforms but not conventional PKC isoforms were involved in ERK activation and ErbB4 cleavage. Our experiments indicated that the novel PKC isoforms activated protein kinase D (PKD) after GnRH treatment. Knockdown and inhibitor experiments suggested that PKD1 stimulated the phosphorylation of Pyk2 by constitutively activated Src and Fyn for ERK activation. Taken together, it is highly possible that PKD1 plays a critical role in signal transduction from the PKC pathway to the tyrosine kinase pathway. Activation of the tyrosine kinase pathway may be involved in the progression of cancer.     

Protein networks supporting AP-3 function in targeting lysosomal membrane proteins

The AP-3 adaptor complex targets selected transmembrane proteins to lysosomes and lysosome-related organelles. We reconstituted its preferred interaction with liposomes containing the ADP ribosylation factor (ARF)-1 guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase), specific cargo tails, and phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate, and then we performed a proteomic screen to identify new proteins supporting its sorting function. We identified ≈30 proteins belonging to three networks regulating either AP-3 coat assembly or septin polymerization or Rab7-dependent lysosomal transport. RNA interference shows that, among these proteins, the ARF-1 exchange factor brefeldin A-inhibited exchange factor 1, the ARF-1 GTPase-activating protein 1, the Cdc42-interacting Cdc42 effector protein 4, an effector of septin-polymerizing GTPases, and the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase IIIC3 are key components regulating the targeting of lysosomal membrane proteins to lysosomes in vivo. This analysis reveals that these proteins, together with AP-3, play an essential role in protein sorting at early endosomes, thereby regulating the integrity of these organelles.     

Protein kinase D: an intracellular traffic regulator on the move

Recent research has identified protein kinase D (PKD, also called PKCmu) as a serine/threonine kinase with potentially important roles in growth factor signaling as well as in stress-induced signaling. Moreover, PKD has emerged as an important regulator of plasma membrane enzymes and receptors, in some cases mediating cross-talk between different signaling systems. The recent discovery of two additional kinases belonging to the PKD family and the plethora of proteins that interact with PKD point to a multifaceted regulation and a multifunctional role for these enzymes, with functions in processes as diverse as cell proliferation, apoptosis, immune cell regulation, tumor cell invasion and regulation of Golgi vesicle fission.     

Protein kinase D: a family affair

The protein kinase D family of enzymes consists of three isoforms: PKD1/PKCmu PKD2 and PKD3/PKCnu. They all share a similar architecture with regulatory sub-domains that play specific roles in the activation, translocation and function of the enzymes. The PKD enzymes have recently been implicated in very diverse cellular functions, including Golgi organization and plasma membrane directed transport, metastasis, immune responses, apoptosis and cell proliferation.     

Protein kinase C-dependent inhibition of the lysosomal degradation of endocytosed proteins in rat hepatocytes

We studied the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the lysosomal processing of endocytosed proteins in isolated rat hepatocytes. We used [14C]sucrose-labeled horseradish peroxidase ([14C]S-HRP) to simultaneously evaluate endocytosis and lysosomal proteolysis. The PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) inhibited the lysosomal degradation of [14C]S-HRP (1 microM PMA: 40% inhibition, P<.05), without affecting either the endocytic uptake or the delivery to lysosomes. However, PMA was not able to affect the lysosomal processing of the beta-galactosidase substrate dextran galactosyl umbelliferone. The PKC inhibitors, chelerytrine (Che), staurosporine (St) and G? 6976, prevented PMA inhibitory effect on lysosomal proteolysis. Nevertheless, purified PKC failed to alter proteolysis in [14C]S-HRP-loaded isolated lysosomes, suggesting that intracellular intermediates are required. PMA induced phosphorylation and hepatocyte membrane-to-lysosome redistribution of the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) protein, raising the possibility that MARCKS mediates the PKC-induced inhibition of lysosomal proteolysis.     

Lysosomal Targeting of Cystinosin Requires AP‐3

Cystinosin is a lysosomal cystine transporter defective in cystinosis, an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder. It is composed of seven transmembrane (TM) domains and contains two lysosomal targeting motifs: a tyrosine‐based signal (GYDQL) in its C‐terminal tail and a non‐classical motif in its fifth inter‐TM loop. Using the yeast two‐hybrid system, we showed that the GYDQL motif specifically interacted with the μ subunit of the adaptor protein complex 3 (AP‐3). Moreover, cell surface biotinylation and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy revealed that cystinosin was partially mislocalized to the plasma membrane (PM) in AP‐3‐depleted cells. We generated a chimeric CD63 protein to specifically analyze the function of the GYDQL motif. This chimeric protein was targeted to lysosomes in a manner similar to cystinosin and was partially mislocalized to the PM in AP‐3 knockdown cells where it also accumulated in the trans‐Golgi network and early endosomes. Together with the fact that the surface levels of cystinosin and of the CD63‐GYDQL chimeric protein were not increased when clathrin‐mediated endocytosis was impaired, our data show that the tyrosine‐based motif of cystinosin is a ‘strong’ AP‐3 interacting motif responsible for lysosomal targeting of cystinosin by a direct intracellular pathway.      

Intracellular trafficking of lysosomal membrane proteins

Lysosomes are the site of degradation of obsolete intracellular material during autophagy and of extracellular macromolecules following endocytosis and phagocytosis. The membrane of lysosomes and late endosomes is enriched in highly glycosylated transmembrane proteins of largely unknown function. Significant progress has been made in recent years towards elucidating the pathways by which these lysosomal membrane proteins are delivered to late endosomes and lysosomes. While some lysosomal membrane proteins follow the constitutive secretory pathway and reach lysosomes indirectly via the cell surface and endocytosis, others exit the trans-Golgi network in clathrin-coated vesicles for direct delivery to endosomes and lysosomes. Sorting from the Golgi or the plasma membrane into the endosomal system is mediated by signals encoded by the short cytosolic domain of these proteins. This review will discuss the role of lysosomal membrane proteins in the biogenesis of the late endosomal and lysosomal membranes, with particular emphasis on the structural features and molecular mechanisms underlying the intracellular trafficking of these proteins.     

Gbetagamma-mediated regulation of Golgi organization is through the direct activation of protein kinase D.

We have shown previously that the betagamma subunits of the heterotrimeric G proteins regulate the organization of the pericentriolarly localized Golgi stacks. In this report, evidence is presented that the downstream target of Gbetagamma is protein kinase D (PKD), an isoform of protein kinase C. PKD, unlike other members of this class of serine/threonine kinases, contains a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. Our results demonstrate that Gbetagamma directly activates PKD by interacting with its PH domain. Inhibition of PKD activity through the use of pharmacological agents, synthetic peptide substrates, and, more specifically, the PH domain of PKD prevents Gbetagamma-mediated Golgi breakdown. Our findings suggest a possible mechanism by which the direct interaction of Gbetagamma with PKD regulates the dynamics of Golgi membranes and protein secretion.     

Lysosome associated membrane protein 1 (Lamp1) traffics directly from the TGN to early endosomes

The precise trafficking routes followed by newly synthesized lysosomal membrane proteins after exit from the Golgi are unclear. To study these events we created a novel chimera (YAL) having a lumenal domain comprising two tyrosine sulfation motifs fused to avidin, and the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of lysosome associated membrane protein 1 (Lamp1). The newly synthesized protein rapidly transited from the trans- Golgi Network (TGN) to lysosomes (t(1/2) approximately 30 min after a lag of 15-20 min). However, labeled chimera was captured by biotinylated probes endocytosed for only 5 min, indicating that the initial site of entry into the endocytic pathway was early endosomes. Capture required export of YAL from the TGN, and endocytosis of the biotinylated reagent, and was essentially quantitative within 2 h of chase, suggesting that all molecules were following an identical route. There was no evidence of YAL trafficking via the cell surface. Fusion of TGN-derived vesicles with 5 min endosomes could be recapitulated in vitro, but neither late endosomes nor lysosomes could serve as acceptor compartments. This suggests that contrary to previous conclusions, most if not all newly synthesized Lamp1 traffics from the TGN to early endosomes prior to delivery to late endosomes and lysosomes.     

Protein sorting in the Golgi complex: shifting paradigms

The paradigms for transport along the biosynthetic route have changed dramatically over the past 15 years. Unlike the situation 15 years ago, the current paradigm involves sorting signals practically at every step of the pathway. In particular, at the exit from the Golgi complex, apical, basolateral and lysosomal targeting signals result in the generation of a variety of routes. Furthermore, it is now quite clear that not all sorting in the biosynthetic route occurs in the Golgi complex or the Trans Golgi Network (TGN). Sorting may occur distally to the Golgi, in recycling endosomes or in budded tubulosaccular structures, or it may occur proximally to the Golgi complex, at the exit from the ER. Several adaptors are candidates to sort apical and basolateral proteins but only AP1B and AP4 are currently involved. Progress is fast and future work should elucidate many of the open questions.