Complementation and Expression Analysis of SoRab1A and SoRab2A in Sugarcane Demonstrates Their Functional Diversification

Mammalian and plant Rabl and Rab2 are small GTPases that regulate vesicle trafficking in the endoplasmic reticulum （ER） to Golgi compartments. Little is known about their functional diversification or potential interaction. We cloned sugarcane （Saccharum officinarum L.） Rab1A and Rab2A genes and studied their functional differences by expression and complementation experiments. We found differential expression of the two genes during sugarcane leaf development： SoRab2A expression declined from the dividing base to the maturing tip of the growing leaves, whereas SoRab1A was constitutively expressed, suggesting that SoRab2A is required for cell division and expansion and SoRablA is required for cells at all developmental stages. We used a yeast temperature sensitive ypt1-A 136D mutant strain to further investigate these shared and unique functions. Yptl is a small GTPase that regulates vesicle transport in the same cellular location as Rabl and Rab2. Neither SoRab1A nor SoRab2A alone could restore the growth of the mutant at restrictive temperatures when SoRab1A and SoRab2A were transformed separately. However, SoRab1A transformants maintained normal morphology and viability at non-permissive temperature, and resumed growth when returned to permissive temperature, whereas SoRab2A transformants died at non-permissive temperature, suggesting that SoRablA function is required for a cell＇s viability. Mutant growth was fully restored when SoRab1A and SoRab2A were co-transformed, indicating that SoRablA and SoRab2A complement each other and they both are needed to restore the function of ypt1-A136D. These results demonstrate that SoRab1A and SoRab2A serve distinct but overlapping functions, mostly by regulating the transportation of different sets of proteins.     

Golgi-Resident GTPase Rab30 Promotes the Biogenesis of Pathogen-Containing Autophagosomes

Autophagy acts as a host-defense system against pathogenic microorganisms such as Group A Streptococcus (GAS). Autophagy is a membrane-mediated degradation system that is regulated by intracellular membrane trafficking regulators, including small GTPase Rab proteins. Here, we identified Rab30 as a novel regulator of GAS-containing autophagosome-like vacuoles (GcAVs). We found that Rab30, a Golgi-resident Rab, was recruited to GcAVs in response to autophagy induction by GAS infection in epithelial cells. Rab30 recruitment was dependent upon its GTPase activity. In addition, the knockdown of Rab30 expression significantly reduced GcAV formation efficiency and impaired intracellular GAS degradation. Rab30 normally functions to maintain the structural integrity of the Golgi complex, but GcAV formation occurred even when the Golgi apparatus was disrupted. Although Rab30 also colocalized with a starvation-induced autophagosome, Rab30 was not required for autophagosome formation during starvation. These results suggest that Rab30 mediates autophagy against GAS independently of its normal cellular role in the structural maintenance of the Golgi apparatus, and autophagosome biogenesis during bacterial infection involves specific Rab GTPases.     

Antiviral phagocytosis is regulated by a novel Rab-dependent complex in shrimp penaeus japonicus

Rab GTPases are involved in phagosome formation and maturation. However, the role of Rab GTPases in phagocytosis against virus infection remains unknown. In this study, it was found that a Rab gene ( PjRab) from marine shrimp was upregulated in virus-resistant shrimp, suggesting that Rab GTPase was involved in the innate response to virus. The RNAi and mRNA assays revealed that the PjRab protein could regulate shrimp hemocytic phagocytosis through a protein complex consisting of the PjRab, beta-actin, tropomyosin, and envelope protein VP466 of shrimp white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). It was further demonstrated that the PjRab gene silencing by RNAi caused the increase in the number of WSSV copies, indicating that the PjRab might be an intracellular virus recognition protein employed by a host to increase the phagocytic activity. Therefore, our study presents a novel Rab-dependent signaling complex, in which the Rab GTPase might detect virus infection as an intracellular virus recognition protein and trigger downstream phagocytic defense against virus in crustacean for the first time. This discovery would improve our understanding of the still poorly understood molecular events involved in innate immune response against virus infection of invertebrates.     

The Legionella pneumophila effector protein DrrA is a Rab1 guanine nucleotide-exchange factor

The intracellular pathogen Legionella pneumophila avoids fusion with lysosomes and subverts membrane transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to create an organelle that supports bacterial replication. Transport of endoplasmic reticulum-derived vesicles to the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV) requires bacterial proteins that are translocated into host cells by a type IV secretion apparatus called Dot/Icm. Recent observations have revealed recruitment of the host GTPase Rab1 to the LCV by a process requiring the Dot/Icm system. Here, a visual screen was used to identify L. pneumophila mutants with defects in Rab1 recruitment. One of the factors identified in this screen was DrrA, a new Dot/Icm substrate protein translocated into host cells. We show that DrrA is a potent and highly specific Rab1 guanine nucleotide-exchange factor (GEF). DrrA can disrupt Rab1-mediated secretory transport to the Golgi apparatus by competing with endogenous exchange factors to recruit and activate Rab1 on plasma membrane-derived organelles. These data establish that intracellular pathogens have the capacity to directly modulate the activation state of a specific member of the Rab family of GTPases and thus further our understanding of the mechanisms used by bacterial pathogens to manipulate host vesicular transport.     

Trypanosoma cruzi modulates the expression of Rabs and alters the endocytosis in mouse cardiomyocytes in vitro.

Chagas disease is an incurable illness caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Cardiomyocytes represent important targets for the parasite infection and alterations in their physiology were reported. Because endocytosis is involved in different cellular events and guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Rab proteins play important roles in various aspects of the membrane traffic, our aim was to characterize the expression of Rab proteins in T. cruzi-infected cardiomyocytes, which displayed a downregulation of Rab7 and Rab11, whereas the expression of Rab5a was maintained in the infected cultures even after longer periods of parasite internalization, but early endosome antigen 1 was partially downregulated. The parasite infection also decreased the uptake of fluid phase ligands by the cardiac cultures. The regulation of GTPase proteins and effector molecules can contribute to the altered physiology of the host cells by modifying the normal incoming of nutrients as well as interfering with other important events related to the endocytic pathway.     

Direct interaction of EEA1 with Rab5b.

The early endosomal autoantigen EEA1 is essential for early endosomal membrane fusion. It binds to endosomes via a C-terminal domain (EEA1-CT). To identify proteins interacting with EEA1-CT, we screened a human brain library in the yeast two-hybrid system. Fourteen clones reacted strongly with EEA1-CT. Sequencing of these clones revealed that they all contained the ORF of the small GTPase, Rab5b. Further two-hybrid analysis suggested that Rab5b also interacts with the N-terminus of EEA1 (EEA1-NT). The interaction of both EEA1-CT and EEA1-NT with Rab5b was confirmed biochemically, and was found to be GTP dependent. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that EEA1 colocalizes with Rab5b on early endosomes. Although EEA1-CT and EEA1-NT interacted strongly with wild-type Rab5b in the two-hybrid system, we detected no interaction with wild-type Rab5a, even though GTPase-deficient mutants of both Rab5a and Rab5b interacted equally well with EEA1. This difference could not be explained by differences in intrinsic GTPase activities, as these were found to be very similar. Instead, we speculate that yeast may contain a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) activity that stimulates Rab5a but not Rab5b. In contrast, pig brain cytosol was found to contain a GAP activity that stimulates the GTPase activity of Rab5b in preference to that of Rab5a. These data provide evidence that EEA1 interacts with both Rab5a and Rab5b, and that the GTPase activities of the two proteins are differentially regulated in vivo.     

Intracellular Uropathogenic E. coli Exploits Host Rab35 for Iron Acquisition and Survival within Urinary Bladder Cells

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) are common and morbid infections with limited therapeutic options. Previous studies have demonstrated that persistent intracellular infection of bladder epithelial cells (BEC) by UPEC contributes to recurrent UTI in mouse models of infection. However, the mechanisms employed by UPEC to survive within BEC are incompletely understood. In this study we aimed to understand the role of host vesicular trafficking proteins in the intracellular survival of UPEC. Using a cell culture model of intracellular UPEC infection, we found that the small GTPase Rab35 facilitates UPEC survival in UPEC-containing vacuoles (UCV) within BEC. Rab35 plays a role in endosomal recycling of transferrin receptor (TfR), the key protein responsible for transferrin–mediated cellular iron uptake. UPEC enhance the expression of both Rab35 and TfR and recruit these proteins to the UCV, thereby supplying UPEC with the essential nutrient iron. Accordingly, Rab35 or TfR depleted cells showed significantly lower intracellular iron levels and reduced ability to support UPEC survival. In the absence of Rab35, UPEC are preferentially trafficked to degradative lysosomes and killed. Furthermore, in an in vivo murine model of persistent intracellular infection, Rab35 also colocalizes with intracellular UPEC. We propose a model in which UPEC subverts two different vesicular trafficking pathways (endosomal recycling and degradative lysosomal fusion) by modulating Rab35, thereby simultaneously enhancing iron acquisition and avoiding lysosomal degradation of the UCV within bladder epithelial cells. Our findings reveal a novel survival mechanism of intracellular UPEC and suggest a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention against recurrent UTI.     

Biochemical characterization of Rab3-GTPase-activating protein reveals a mechanism similar to that of Ras-GAP

Small G proteins of the Rab family are regulators of intracellular vesicle traffic. Their intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis is very low but is enhanced by specific GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that switch G proteins to their inactive form. We have characterized the activity of recombinant Rab3-GAP on Rab3A in solution. The K(m) and K(d) values (75 microm) indicate a low affinity of Rab3-GAP for its substrate. The affinity is higher for the transition state analog Rab3A:GDP:AlF(x) (15 microm). The k(cat) (1 s(-)(1)) is within the range of values reported for other GAPs. A mutation in the switch I region of Rab3A disrupted the interaction with Rab3-GAP. Furthermore, Rabphilin, a putative target of Rab3, inhibited the activity of Rab3-GAP on Rab3. Therefore, the Rab3-GAP-binding site involves the switch I region of Rab3 and overlaps with the Rabphilin-binding domain. Substitution of a single arginine residue (Arg-728) of Rab3-GAP disrupted its catalytic activity but not its interaction with Rab3A. We propose that Rab3-GAP, like Ras- and Rho-GAPs, stabilizes the transition state of Rab3 and provides a critical arginine residue to accelerate the GTPase reaction.     

Protein kinase WNK1 promotes cell surface expression of glucose transporter GLUT1 by regulating a Tre-2/USP6-BUB2-Cdc16 domain family member 4 (TBC1D4)-Rab8A complex

One mechanism by which mammalian cells regulate the uptake of glucose is the number of glucose transporter proteins (GLUT) present at the plasma membrane. In insulin-responsive cells types, GLUT4 is released from intracellular stores through inactivation of the Rab GTPase activating protein Tre-2/USP6-BUB2-Cdc16 domain family member 4 (TBC1D4) (also known as AS160). Here we describe that TBC1D4 forms a protein complex with protein kinase WNK1 in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. We show that WNK1 phosphorylates TBC1D4 in vitro and that the expression levels of WNK1 in these cells regulate surface expression of the constitutive glucose transporter GLUT1. WNK1 was found to increase the binding of TBC1D4 to regulatory 14-3-3 proteins while reducing its interaction with the exocytic small GTPase Rab8A. These effects were dependent on the catalytic activity because expression of a kinase-dead WNK1 mutant had no effect on binding of 14-3-3 and Rab8A, or on surface GLUT1 levels. Together, the data describe a pathway regulating constitutive glucose uptake via GLUT1, the expression level of which is related to several human diseases.     

Structural plasticity of an invariant hydrophobic triad in the switch regions of Rab GTPases is a determinant of effector recognition

Rab GTPases function as regulatory components of an evolutionarily conserved machinery that mediates docking, priming, and fusion of vesicles with intracellular membranes. We have previously shown that the active conformation of Rab3A is stabilized by a substantial hydrophobic interface between the putative conformational switch regions (Dumas, J. J., Zhu, Z., Connolly, J. L., and Lambright, D. G. (1999) Structure 7, 413-423). A triad of invariant hydrophobic residues at this switch interface (Phe-59, Trp-76, and Tyr-91) represents a major interaction determinant between the switch regions of Rab3A and the Rab3A-specific effector Rabphilin3A (Ostermeier, C., and Brunger, A. T. (1999) Cell 96, 363-374). Here, we report the crystal structure of the active form of Rab5C, a prototypical endocytic Rab GTPase. As is true for Rab3A, the active conformation of Rab5C is stabilized by a hydrophobic interface between the switch regions. However, the conformation of the invariant hydrophobic triad (residues Phe-58, Trp-75, and Tyr-90 in Rab5C) is dramatically altered such that the resulting surface is noncomplementary to the switch interaction epitope of Rabphilin3A. This structural rearrangement reflects a set of nonconservative substitutions in the hydrophobic core between the central beta sheet and the alpha2 helix. These observations demonstrate that structural plasticity involving an invariant hydrophobic triad at the switch interface contributes to the mechanism by which effectors recognize distinct Rab subfamilies. Thus, the active conformation of the switch regions conveys information about the identity of a particular Rab GTPase as well as the state of the bound nucleotide.     

Cloning and analysis of 16 Rab genes from macronuclear DNA of Euplotes octocarinatus.

Rab proteins belong to the largest family of the Ras superfamily of small GTPase that play an important role in intracellular vesicular traffic. So far, almost 60 members of Rab family have been identified in mammalian cells. To further study the diversity and function of Rab protein in evolution, unicellular protozoa ciliates, Euplotes octocarinatus, were used in this study, Rab genes were screened by PCR method from macronuclear DNA of E. octocarinatus. Sixteen Rab genes were obtained. They share 87.6-99.5% identities. Highly conserved GTP-binding domains were found. There are some hot regions that diverse sharply in these genes as well.     

Rab39, a novel Golgi-associated Rab GTPase from human dendritic cells involved in cellular endocytosis

Rab GTPases are Ras-like small molecular weight GTP binding proteins that are involved in various steps along the exocytic and endocytic pathways. Here we report that Rab39, a novel Rab protein, is a Golgi-associated protein involved in endocytosis of HeLa cells. Full-length cDNA of Rab39 contains 1251bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 636bp, which is predicted to encode a 211 aa protein. By blast analysis of Rab39 cDNA and protein sequence with homologues, we find that Rab39 may be a short variant of Rab34. Rab39 contains conserved motifs involved in phosphate/guanosine binding and a microbody C-terminal targeting signal. RT-PCR analysis indicates that Rab39 is mainly detected in epithelial cell lines, and Northern blot analysis shows that Rab39 is expressed ubiquitously in human tissues. By using FITC-BSA as an endocytic tracer, we show that Rab39 can facilitate endocytosis in HeLa cells when expressed either transiently or stably. Confocal microscopy examination of Rab39 subcellular localization suggests that Rab39 is associated with Golgi-associated organelles. Our findings demonstrate that Rab39 is a novel Rab GTPase involved in cellular endocytosis.     

Syndecan-1 ectodomain shedding is regulated by the small GTPase Rab5

The ectodomain shedding of syndecan-1, a major cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, modulates molecular and cellular processes central to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Syndecan-1 shedding is a highly regulated process in which outside-in signaling accelerates the proteolytic cleavage of syndecan-1 ectodomains at the cell surface. Several extracellular agonists that induce syndecan-1 shedding and metalloproteinases that cleave syndecan-1 ectodomains have been identified, but the intracellular mechanisms that regulate syndecan-1 shedding are largely unknown. Here we examined the role of the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain in the regulation of agonist-induced syndecan-1 shedding. Our results showed that the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain is essential because mutation of invariant cytoplasmic Tyr residues abrogates ectodomain shedding, but not because it is Tyr phosphorylated upon shedding stimulation. Instead, our data showed that the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain binds to Rab5, a small GTPase that regulates intracellular trafficking and signaling events, and this interaction controls the onset of syndecan-1 shedding. Syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain bound specifically to Rab5 and preferentially to inactive GDP-Rab5 over active GTP-Rab5, and shedding stimulation induced the dissociation of Rab5 from the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain. Moreover, the expression of dominant-negative Rab5, unable to exchange GDP for GTP, interfered with the agonist-induced dissociation of Rab5 from the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic domain and significantly inhibited syndecan-1 shedding induced by several distinct agonists. Based on these data, we propose that Rab5 is a critical regulator of syndecan-1 shedding that serves as an on-off molecular switch through its alternation between the GDP-bound and GTP-bound forms.     

Probing the microenvironment of intracellular bacterial pathogens

The identification of bacterial genes regulated in response to the intracellular environment is crucial to the understanding of host-pathogen interactions. Several techniques have been developed to identify and characterize bacterial genes that are induced during the intracellular infection and, potentially, may play a role in pathogenesis. This review discusses the strategies that have been utilized to examine differential gene expression by bacterial pathogens during the intracellular infection. Furthermore, a number of the differentially expressed genes are described.     

八肋游仆虫Rab家族新成员Eo-rab-1N基因的克隆与序列分析

Rab蛋白家族属于小分子GTP结合蛋白家族Ras超家族中最大的亚家族,主要在囊泡运输中起作用。本实验运用PCR、RT-PCR等技术,从八肋游仆虫中克隆到一种新的rab基因。序列分析结果表明：在大核中,该基因全长884bp,除去两端的端粒与非编码区,该基因在大核中由723bp组成。从小核中克隆相应的基因片段,此基因片段序列与大核中序列一致,表明该基因在小核中无内部删除序列的存在。通过RT-PCR,从mRNA获得的该基因的开放读框为663bp,表明该基因在转录过程中有内含子的删除。大核基因序列和cDNA序列比较,发现60bp的内含子序列位于大核基因的153~212bp之间,并符合一类内含子GU-AG剪切规则。在遗传密码使用上,该基因内部含有2个TGA,在游仆虫中编码半胱氨酸。同时首次发现,八肋游仆虫基因使用TAG作为终止密码子。NCBI上序列比对表明该基因翻译的蛋白与其它物种Rab1蛋白的同源性达49%~52%,因此我们将它命名为Eo-rab-1N,GenBank登录号为DQ105562。Eo-rab-1N与其他物种的Rab1蛋白构建进化树,发现该蛋白的进化与物种的进化保持一致,表明该基因在细胞中具有重要功能。     

Probing the druggability of membrane-bound Rab5 by molecular dynamics simulations

Rab5 is a small GTPase and a key regulator in early endosomal trafficking. Rab5 and its effectors are involved in a large number of infectious diseases and certain types of cancer. We performed µs atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of inactive and active full-length Rab5 anchored to a complex model bilayer with composition of the early endosome membrane. Direct interactions between the Rab5?G domain and the bilayer were observed. We found two dominant nucleotide-dependent orientations characterised by a different accessibility of the switch regions. The “buried switch” orientation was mainly associated with inactive Rab5 accompanied with a rather extended structure of the hypervariable C-terminal region. Active Rab5 preferred an orientation in which the switch regions are accessible to effector proteins. These structural differences may provide an opportunity to selectively target one Rab5 state and lead to new approaches in the development of Rab5-specific therapies.     

The Legionella pneumophila effector DrrA is sufficient to stimulate SNARE-dependent membrane fusion

The intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila subverts host membrane transport pathways to promote fusion of vesicles exiting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with the pathogen-containing vacuole. During infection there is noncanonical pairing of the SNARE protein Sec22b on ER-derived vesicles with plasma membrane (PM)-localized syntaxin proteins on the vacuole. We show that the L.?pneumophila Rab1-targeting effector DrrA is sufficient to stimulate this noncanonical SNARE association and promote membrane fusion. DrrA activation of the Rab1 GTPase on PM-derived organelles stimulated the tethering of ER-derived vesicles with the PM-derived organelle, resulting in vesicle fusion through the pairing of Sec22b with the PM syntaxin proteins. Thus, the effector protein DrrA stimulates a host membrane transport pathway that enables ER-derived vesicles to remodel a PM-derived organelle, suggesting that Rab1 activation at the PM is sufficient to promote the recruitment and fusion of ER-derived vesicles.     

RNA干扰抑制麻疹病毒体外复制的实验研究

为了研究短发夹RNA(shRNA)介导的RNA干扰对麻疹病毒体外复制的抑制作用,构建靶向与麻疹病毒复制密切相关的宿主细胞基因Rab9 GTPase基因特异性shRNA表达载体,分别转染Vero-E6和B95a细胞后感染麻疹病毒Edmonston株和野生株。逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和免疫印迹技术(Western-blot)检测转染细胞内Rab9 GTPase基因表达水平;标准蚀斑试验测定麻疹病毒滴度。结果显示转染细胞内Rab9 GTPase mRNA和蛋白质的表达水平同对照组相比明显降低,标准蚀斑试验显示麻疹病毒的复制受到显著抑制,抑制率达到90%以上。结果表明载体介导的shRNAs能通过特异性下调Rab9 GTPase基因表达抑制麻疹病毒体外复制,Rab9 GTPase可能成为治疗麻疹病毒感染的RNA干扰靶。     

GRAB is a binding partner for the Rab11a and Rab11b GTPases

Co-ordination of Rab GTPase function has emerged as a crucial mechanism in the control of intracellular trafficking processes in eukaryotic cells. Here, we show that GRAB/Rab3IL1 [guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rab3A; RAB3A interacting protein (rabin3)-like 1], a protein that has previously be shown to act as a GEF (guanine nucleotide exchange factor) for Rab3a, Rab8a and Rab8b, is also a binding partner for Rab11a and Rab11b, but not the closely related Rab25 GTPase. We demonstrate that exogenous expression of Rab11a and Rab11b shift GRAB’s distribution from the cytoplasm onto membranes. We find that the Rab11a/Rab11b-binding region of GRAB lies within its carboxy-terminus, a region distinct from its GEF domain and Rab3a-binding region. Finally, we describe a GRAB deletion mutant (GRAB_Δ223–228) that is deficient in Rab11-binding ability. These data identify GRAB as a dual Rab-binding protein that could potentially link Rab3 and Rab11 and/or Rab8 and Rab11-mediated intracellular trafficking processes.