Lipid signaling in Drosophila photoreceptors

Drosophila photoreceptors are sensory neurons whose primary function is the transduction of photons into an electrical signal for forward transmission to the brain. Photoreceptors are polarized cells whose apical domain is organized into finger like projections of plasma membrane, microvilli that contain the molecular machinery required for sensory transduction. The development of this apical domain requires intense polarized membrane transport during development and it is maintained by post developmental membrane turnover. Sensory transduction in these cells involves a high rate of G-protein coupled phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P₂] hydrolysis ending with the activation of ion channels that are members of the TRP superfamily. Defects in this lipid-signaling cascade often result in retinal degeneration, which is a consequence of the loss of apical membrane homeostasis. In this review we discuss the various membrane transport challenges of photoreceptors and their regulation by ongoing lipid signaling cascades in these cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Lipids and Vesicular Transport.     

Oncostatin M regulates membrane traffic and stimulates bile canalicular membrane biogenesis in HepG2 cells

Hepatocytes are the major epithelial cells of the liver and they display membrane polarity: the sinusoidal membrane representing the basolateral surface, while the bile canalicular membrane is typical of the apical membrane. In polarized HepG2 cells an endosomal organelle, SAC, fulfills a prominent role in the biogenesis of the canalicular membrane, reflected by its ability to sort and redistribute apical and basolateral sphingolipids. Here we show that SAC appears to be a crucial target for a cytokine-induced signal transduction pathway, which stimulates membrane transport exiting from this compartment promoting apical membrane biogenesis. Thus, oncostatin M, an IL-6-type cytokine, stimulates membrane polarity development in HepG2 cells via the gp130 receptor unit, which activates a protein kinase A-dependent and sphingomyelin-marked membrane transport pathway from SAC to the apical membrane. To exert its signal transducing function, gp130 is recruited into detergent-resistant membrane microdomains at the basolateral membrane. These data provide a clue for a molecular mechanism that couples the biogenesis of an apical plasma membrane domain to the regulation of intracellular transport in response to an extracellular, basolaterally localized stimulus.     

Transmembrane domain of influenza virus neuraminidase, a type II protein, possesses an apical sorting signal in polarized MDCK cells.

The influenza virus neuraminidase (NA), a type II transmembrane protein, is directly transported to the apical plasma membrane in polarized MDCK cells. By using deletion mutants and chimeric constructs of influenza virus NA with the human transferrin receptor, a type II basolateral transmembrane protein, we investigated the location of the apical sorting signal of influenza virus NA. When these mutant and chimeric proteins were expressed in stably transfected polarized MDCK cells, the transmembrane domain of NA, and not the cytoplasmic tail, provided a determinant for apical targeting in polarized MDCK cells and this transmembrane signal was sufficient for sorting and transport of the ectodomain of a reporter protein (transferrin receptor) directly to the apical plasma membrane of polarized MDCK cells. In addition, by using differential detergent extraction, we demonstrated that influenza virus NA and the chimeras which were transported to the apical plasma membrane also became insoluble in Triton X-100 but soluble in octylglucoside after extraction from MDCK cells during exocytic transport. These data indicate that the transmembrane domain of NA provides the determinant(s) both for apical transport and for association with Triton X-100-insoluble lipids.     

Myosin VI is required for sorting of AP-1B-dependent cargo to the basolateral domain in polarized MDCK cells

In polarized epithelial cells, newly synthesized membrane proteins are delivered on specific pathways to either the apical or basolateral domains, depending on the sorting motifs present in these proteins. Because myosin VI has been shown to facilitate secretory traffic in nonpolarized cells, we investigated its role in biosynthetic trafficking pathways in polarized MDCK cells. We observed that a specific splice isoform of myosin VI with no insert in the tail domain is required for the polarized transport of tyrosine motif containing basolateral membrane proteins. Sorting of other basolateral or apical cargo, however, does not involve myosin VI. Site-directed mutagenesis indicates that a functional complex consisting of myosin VI, optineurin, and probably the GTPase Rab8 plays a role in the basolateral delivery of membrane proteins, whose sorting is mediated by the clathrin adaptor protein complex (AP) AP-1B. Our results suggest that myosin VI is a crucial component in the AP-1B-dependent biosynthetic sorting pathway to the basolateral surface in polarized epithelial cells.     

Myosin V, Rab11, and dRip11 direct apical secretion and cellular morphogenesis in developing Drosophila photoreceptors

Sensory neuron terminal differentiation tasks apical secretory transport with delivery of abundant biosynthetic traffic to the growing sensory membrane. We recently showed Drosophila Rab11 is essential for rhodopsin transport in developing photoreceptors and asked here if myosin V and the Drosophila Rab11 interacting protein, dRip11, also participate in secretory transport. Reduction of either protein impaired rhodopsin transport, stunting rhabdomere growth and promoting accumulation of cytoplasmic rhodopsin. MyoV-reduced photoreceptors also developed ectopic rhabdomeres inappropriately located in basolateral membrane, indicating a role for MyoV in photoreceptor polarity. Binary yeast two hybrids and in vitro protein-protein interaction predict a ternary complex assembled by independent dRip11 and MyoV binding to Rab11. We propose this complex delivers morphogenic secretory traffic along polarized actin filaments of the subcortical terminal web to the exocytic plasma membrane target, the rhabdomere base. A protein trio conserved across eukaryotes thus mediates normal, in vivo sensory neuron morphogenesis.     

The transmembrane domain of the respiratory syncytial virus F protein is an orientation-independent apical plasma membrane sorting sequence

The processes that facilitate transport of integral membrane proteins though the secretory pathway and subsequently target them to particular cellular membranes are relevant to almost every field of biology. These transport processes involve integration of proteins into the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), passage from the ER to the Golgi, and post-Golgi trafficking. The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion (F) protein is a type I integral membrane protein that is uniformly distributed on the surface of infected nonpolarized cells and localizes to the apical plasma membrane of polarized epithelial cells. We expressed wild-type or altered RSV F proteins to gain a better understanding of secretory transport and plasma membrane targeting of type I membrane proteins in polarized and nonpolarized epithelial cells. Our findings reveal a novel, orientation-independent apical plasma membrane targeting function for the transmembrane domain of the RSV F protein in polarized epithelial cells. This work provides a basis for a more complete understanding of the role of the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail of viral type I integral membrane proteins in secretory transport and plasma membrane targeting in polarized and nonpolarized cells.     

PDZ proteins retain and regulate membrane transporters in polarized epithelial cell membranes

PDZ proteins retain and regulate membrane transporters in polarized epithelial cell membranes. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 288: C20–C29, 2005; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00368.2004.—The plasma membrane of epithelial cells is subdivided into two physically separated compartments known as the apical and basolateral membranes. To obtain directional transepithelial solute transport, membrane transporters (i.e., ion channels, cotransporters, exchangers, and ion pumps) need to be targeted selectively to either of these membrane domains. In addition, the transport properties of an epithelial cell will be maintained only if these membrane transporters are retained and properly regulated in their specific membrane compartments. Recent reports have indicated that PDZ domain-containing proteins play a dual role in these processes and, in addition, that different apical and basolateral PDZ proteins perform similar tasks in their respective membrane domains. First, although PDZ-based interactions are dispensable for the biosynthetic targeting to the proper membrane domain, the PDZ network ensures that the membrane proteins are efficiently retained at the cell surface. Second, the close spatial positioning of functionally related proteins (e.g., receptors, kinases, channels) into a signal transduction complex (transducisome) allows fast and efficient control of membrane transport processes. retention of apical and basolateral membrane proteins; transducisomes; protein complex formation     

Localization of Na/K-ATPase in developing and adult Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptors

Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptors are highly polarized cells and their plasma membrane is organized into distinct domains. Zonula adherens junctions separate a smooth peripheral surface, the equivalent of the basolateral surface in other epithelial cells, from the central surface (approximately equal to apical surface). The latter consists of the microvillar rhabdomere and the juxtarhabdomeric domain, a nonmicrovillar area between the rhabdomere and the zonulae adherens. The distribution of Na/K-ATPase over these domains was examined by immunocytochemical, developmental, and genetic approaches. Immunofluorescence and immunogold labeling of adult compound eyes reveal that the distribution of Na/K-ATPase is concentrated at the peripheral surface in the photoreceptors R1-R6, but extends over the juxtarhabdomeric domain to the rhabdomere in the photoreceptors R7/R8. Developmental analysis demonstrates further that Na/K-ATPase is localized over the entire plasma membrane in all photoreceptors in early pupal eyes. Redistribution of Na/K-ATPase in R1-R6 occurs at about 78% of pupal life, coinciding with the onset of Rh1-rhodopsin expression on the central surface of these cells. Despite the essential role of Rh1 in structural development and intracellular trafficking, Rh1 mutations do not affect the distribution of Na/K-ATPase. These results suggest that Na/K-ATPase and rhodopsin are involved in distinct intracellular localization mechanisms, which are maintained independent of each other.     

Remodeling the cell surface distribution of membrane proteins during the development of epithelial cell polarity

The development of polarized epithelial cells from unpolarized precursor cells follows induction of cell-cell contacts and requires resorting of proteins into different membrane domains. We show that in MDCK cells the distributions of two membrane proteins, Dg-1 and E-cadherin, become restricted to the basal-lateral membrane domain within 8 h of cell-cell contact. During this time, however, 60-80% of newly synthesized Dg-1 and E-cadherin is delivered directly to the forming apical membrane and then rapidly removed, while the remainder is delivered to the basal-lateral membrane and has a longer residence time. Direct delivery of greater than 95% of these proteins from the Golgi complex to the basal-lateral membrane occurs greater than 48 h later. In contrast, we show that two apical proteins are efficiently delivered and restricted to the apical cell surface within 2 h after cell-cell contact. These results provide insight into mechanisms involved in the development of epithelial cell surface polarity, and the establishment of protein sorting pathways in polarized cells.     

Osmomechanical regulation of membrane trafficking in polarized cells

The regulation of membrane trafficking is thought to be predominantly under the control of agonist-receptor transduction pathways. In the present study, osmomechanical stress due to swelling, a condition often accompanying cell activation, was shown to induce multiple membrane trafficking pathways in polarized absorptive epithelial cells in the absence of agonists. Osmomechanical stress activated rapidly (seconds) pathways of calcium-dependent membrane insertion into the basolateral domain, pathways of calcium-independent membrane retrieval from the basolateral domain, and a novel pathway of transcytosis (transcellular) between basolateral and apical cell domains. These pathways appear to underlie the transfer and regulation of transport proteins amongst cell compartments. This broad affect of osmomechanical stress on trafficking pathways may reflect a global mechanism for redistribution of transport proteins and other membrane components amongst cell compartments during states of mechanical stress.     

Ectoplasm, ghost in the R cell machine?

Drosophila photoreceptors (R cells) are an extreme instance of sensory membrane amplification via apical microvilli, a widely deployed and deeply conserved operation of polarized epithelial cells. Developmental rotation of R cell apices aligns rhabdomere microvilli across the optical axis and enables enormous membrane expansion in a new, proximal distal dimension. R cell ectoplasm, the specialized cortical cytoplasm abutting the rhabdomere is likewise enormously amplified. Ectoplasm is dominated by the actin-rich terminal web, a conserved operational domain of the ancient vesicle-transport motor, Myosin V. R cells harness Myosin V to move two distinct cargoes, the biosynthetic traffic that builds the rhabdomere during development, and the migration of pigment granules that mediates the adaptive "longitudinal pupil" in adults, using two distinct Rab proteins. Ectoplasm further shapes a distinct cortical endosome compartment, the subrhabdomeral cisterna (SRC), vital to normal cell function. Reticulon, a protein that promotes endomembrane curvature, marks the SRC. R cell visual arrestin 2 (Arr2) is predominantly cytoplasmic in dark-adapted photoreceptors but on illumination it translocates to the rhabdomere, where it quenches ongoing photosignaling by binding to activated metarhodopsin. Arr2 translocation is "powered" by diffusion; a motor is not required to move Arr2 and ectoplasm does not obstruct its rapid diffusion to the rhabdomere.     

Phosphoinositides Control Epithelial Development

Epithelial organs consist on layers of cubical cells that separate different compartments. They form a physical barrier that allows the regulated transports of certain molecules ions. To perform this and other functions epithelial cells require to be highly polarized. The molecular mechanisms that integrate cellular polarity with epithelial architecture poorly understood. Using a three-dimensional model of epithelial morphogenesis, have recently reported a molecular mechanism for the formation of the apical membrane and the central lumen1. This molecular pathway is initiated by the membrane segregation of phosphoinositides at the apical domain. Apically localized phosphatidylinositol(bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] recruits the scaffolding protein Annexin2 and the GTPase Cdc42 to generate the apical plasma membrane domain and the central lumen.     

Rab11 mediates post-Golgi trafficking of rhodopsin to the photosensitive apical membrane of Drosophila photoreceptors

In developing Drosophila photoreceptors, rhodopsin is trafficked to the rhabdomere, a specialized domain within the apical membrane surface. Rab11, a small GTPase implicated in membrane traffic, immunolocalizes to the trans-Golgi network, cytoplasmic vesicles and tubules, and the base of rhabdomeres. One hour after release from the endoplasmic reticulum, rhodopsin colocalizes with Rab11 in vesicles at the base of the rhabdomere. When Rab11 activity is reduced by three different genetic procedures, rhabdomere morphogenesis is inhibited and rhodopsin-bearing vesicles proliferate within the cytosol. Rab11 activity is also essential for development of MVB endosomal compartments; this is probably a secondary consequence of impaired rhabdomere development. Furthermore, Rab11 is required for transport of TRP, another rhabdomeric protein, and for development of specialized membrane structures within Garland cells. These results establish a role for Rab11 in the post-Golgi transport of rhodopsin and of other proteins to the rhabdomeric membranes of photoreceptors, and in analogous transport processes in other cells.     

Cytoskeleton functions in membrane traffic in polarized epithelial cells.

The complexity of membrane traffic in polarized epithelial cells between the Golgi complex and either the apical or basal-lateral membrane domain, and between different membrane domains (transcytosis) requires that vesicles leaving one membrane compartment efficiently and rapidly reach their (correct) destination. There is increasing evidence that microtubules, actin microfilaments and the membrane-cytoskeleton are involved in several aspects of vesicle transport and in the regulation of protein distributions in polarized epithelial cells. These possible functions are discussed in the context of the development and maintenance of cell polarity.     

An Apical-Type Trafficking Pathway Is Present in Cultured Oligodendrocytes but the Sphingolipid-enriched Myelin Membrane Is the Target of a Basolateral-Type Pathway

Myelin sheets originate from distinct areas at the oligodendrocyte (OLG) plasma membrane and, as opposed to the latter, myelin membranes are relatively enriched in glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. The OLG plasma membrane can therefore be considered to consist of different membrane domains, as in polarized cells; the myelin sheet is reminiscent of an apical membrane domain and the OLG plasma membrane resembles the basolateral membrane. To reveal the potentially polarized membrane nature of OLG, the trafficking and sorting of two typical markers for apical and basolateral membranes, the viral proteins influenza virus–hemagglutinin (HA) and vesicular stomatitis virus–G protein (VSVG), respectively, were examined. We demonstrate that in OLG, HA and VSVG are differently sorted, which presumably occurs upon their trafficking through the Golgi. HA can be recovered in a Triton X-100-insoluble fraction, indicating an apical raft type of trafficking, whereas VSVG was only present in a Triton X-100-soluble fraction, consistent with its basolateral sorting. Hence, both an apical and a basolateral sorting mechanism appear to operate in OLG. Surprisingly, however, VSVG was found within the myelin sheets surrounding the cells, whereas HA was excluded from this domain. Therefore, despite its raft-like transport, HA does not reach a membrane that shows features typical of an apical membrane. This finding indicates either the uniqueness of the myelin membrane or the requirement of additional regulatory factors, absent in OLG, for apical delivery. These remarkable results emphasize that polarity and regulation of membrane transport in cultured OLG display features that are quite different from those in polarized cells.     

Carbohydrate-mediated Golgi to cell surface transport and apical targeting of membrane proteins.

Polarized expression of most epithelial plasma membrane proteins is achieved by selective transport from the Golgi apparatus or from endosomes to a specific cell surface domain. In Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, basolateral sorting generally depends on distinct cytoplasmic targeting determinants. Inactivation of these signals often resulted in apical expression, suggesting that apical transport of transmembrane proteins occurs either by default or is mediated by widely distributed characteristics of membrane glycoproteins. We tested the hypothesis of N-linked carbohydrates acting as apical targeting signals using three different membrane proteins. The first two are normally not glycosylated and the third one is a glycoprotein. In all three cases, N-linked carbohydrates were clearly able to mediate apical targeting and transport. Cell surface transport of proteins containing cytoplasmic basolateral targeting determinants was not significantly affected by N-linked sugars. In the absence of glycosylation and a basolateral sorting signal, the reporter proteins accumulated in the Golgi complex of MDCK as well as CHO cells, indicating that efficient transport from the Golgi apparatus to the cell surface is signal-mediated in polarized and non-polarized cells.     

N-聚糖和O-聚糖在极性化细胞蛋白质分拣中的作用

极性化上皮细胞的质膜因其所含蛋白质、脂质等组分不同,可以分为细胞膜顶端和细胞膜基底侧端两个区域,而新合成的蛋白质向这两个区域的有效分拣是上皮细胞维持其自身极性及正常功能所必需的。细胞膜基底侧端蛋白质的分拣主要由位于该蛋白质胞质区的信号肽所介导,关于这方面的研究是比较深入的;而细胞膜顶端蛋白质的分拣机制目前尚未阐明,因而显得比较复杂。近年来,糖类分子作为生物体内细胞识别和调控过程的信息分子日益受到关注,人们通过干扰聚糖合成、基因突变以及构建糖基化缺陷细胞株等实验方法,逐渐地认识到糖类分子在极性化上皮细胞的蛋白质分拣调节中起重要作用。由于糖分子本身结构非常复杂,而且目前缺乏研究糖类分子的有效手段,使得糖生物学的研究远远落后于蛋白质和核酸的研究。从而导致探讨糖类分子在蛋白质分拣过程的具体机制相对来说比较困难。本综述拟简要概括糖类分子中N-聚糖和O-聚糖在极性化上皮细胞的蛋白质分拣过程中的作用,以及两种聚糖在此过程中行使分拣信号功能的可能机制。     

Sphingolipid trafficking and protein sorting in epithelial cells

Sphingolipids represent a minor, but highly dynamic subclass of lipids in all eukaryotic cells. They are involved in functions that range from structural protection to signal transduction and protein sorting, and participate in lipid raft assembly. In polarized epithelial cells, which display an asymmetric apical and basolateral membrane surface, rafts have been proposed as a sorting principle for apical resident proteins, following their biosynthesis. However, raft-mediated trafficking is ubiquitous in cells. Also, sphingolipids per se, which are strongly enriched in the apical domain, are subject to sorting in polarity development. Next to the trans Golgi network, a subapical compartment called SAC or common endosome appears instrumental in regulating these sorting events.     

Expression of the influenza A virus M2 protein is restricted to apical surfaces of polarized epithelial cells.

The M2 protein of influenza A virus is a small, nonglycosylated transmembrane protein that is expressed on surfaces of virus-infected cells. A monoclonal antibody specific for the M2 protein was used to investigate its expression in polarized epithelial cells infected with influenza virus or a recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses M2. The expression of M2 on the surfaces of influenza virus-infected cells was found to be restricted to the apical surface, closely paralleling that of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA). Membrane domain-specific immunoprecipitation indicated that the M2 protein was inserted directly into the apical membrane with transport kinetics similar to those of HA. In polarized cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses M2, we found that 86 to 93% of surface M2 was restricted to the apical domain compared with 88 to 90% of HA in a similar assay. These results indicate that the M2 protein undergoes directional transport in the absence of other influenza virus proteins and that M2 contains the structural features required for apical transport in polarized epithelial cells. The ultrastructural localization of the M2 protein in influenza virus-infected MDCK cells was investigated by immunoelectron microscopy using M2 antibody and a gold conjugate. In cells in which extensive virus budding was occurring, the apical cell membrane was labeled with gold particles evenly distributed between microvilli and the surrounding membrane. In addition, a significant fraction of the M2 label was apparently associated with virions. A monoclonal antibody specific for HA demonstrated a similar labeling pattern. These results indicate that M2 is localized in close proximity to budding and assembled virions.     

Epithelial polarity requires septin coupling of vesicle transport to polyglutamylated microtubules

In epithelial cells, polarized growth and maintenance of apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains depend on protein sorting from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and vesicle delivery to the plasma membrane. Septins are filamentous GTPases required for polarized membrane growth in budding yeast, but whether they function in epithelial polarity is unknown. Here, we show that in epithelial cells septin 2 (SEPT2) fibers colocalize with a subset of microtubule tracks composed of polyglutamylated (polyGlu) tubulin, and that vesicles containing apical or basolateral proteins exit the TGN along these SEPT2/polyGlu microtubule tracks. Tubulin-associated SEPT2 facilitates vesicle transport by maintaining polyGlu microtubule tracks and impeding tubulin binding of microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAP4). Significantly, this regulatory step is required for polarized, columnar-shaped epithelia biogenesis; upon SEPT2 depletion, cells become short and fibroblast-shaped due to intracellular accumulation of apical and basolateral membrane proteins, and loss of vertically oriented polyGlu microtubules. We suggest that septin coupling of the microtubule cytoskeleton to post-Golgi vesicle transport is required for the morphogenesis of polarized epithelia.