Sorting signals within the Saccharomyces cerevisiae sporulation-specific dityrosine transporter, Dtr1p, C terminus promote Golgi-to-prospore membrane transport

During sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the dityrosine transporter Dtr1p, which is required for formation of the outermost layer of the spore wall, is specifically expressed and transported to the prospore membrane, a novel double-lipid-bilayer membrane. Dtr1p consists of 572 amino acids with predicted N- and C-terminal cytoplasmic extensions and 12 transmembrane domains. Dtr1p missing the largest internal cytoplasmic loop was trapped in the endoplasmic reticulum in both mitotically dividing cells and cells induced to sporulate. Deletion of the carboxyl 15 amino acids, but not the N-terminal extension of Dtr1p, resulted in a protein that failed to localize to the prospore membrane and was instead observed in cytoplasmic puncta. The puncta colocalized with a cis-Golgi marker, suggesting that Dtr1p missing the last 15 amino acids was trapped in an early Golgi compartment. Deletion of the C-terminal 10 amino acids resulted in a protein that localized to the prospore membrane with a delay and accumulated in cytoplasmic puncta that partially colocalized with a trans-Golgi marker. Both full-length Dtr1p and Dtr1p missing the last 10 amino acids expressed in vegetative cells localized to the plasma membrane and vacuoles, while Dtr1p deleted for the carboxyl-terminal 15 amino acids was observed only at vacuoles, suggesting that transport to the prospore membrane is mediated by distinct signals from those that specify plasma membrane localization. Transfer-of-function experiments revealed that both the carboxyl transmembrane domain and the C-terminal tail are important for Golgi complex-to-prospore membrane transport.     

Proteins in the early golgi compartment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae immunoisolated by Sed5p

The yeast tSNARE Sed5p is considered to mainly reside in the early Golgi compartment at the steady state of its intracellular cycling. To better understand this compartment, we immunoisolated a membrane subfraction having Sed5p on the surface (the Sed5 vesicles). Immunoblot studies showed that considerable portions (20-30%) of the Golgi mannosyltransferases (Mnt1p, Van1p, and Mnn9p) were simultaneously recovered while the late Golgi (Kex2p) or endoplasmic reticulum (Sec71p) proteins were almost excluded. The N-terminal sequences of the polypeptides detectable by Coomassie blue staining indicated that the prominent components of the Sed5 vesicles include Anp1p, Emp24p, Erv25p, Erp1p, Ypt52p, and a putative membrane protein of unknown function (Yml067c).     

Identification of Potential Regulatory Elements for the Transport of Emp24p

To examine the possibility of active recycling of Emp24p between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi, we sought to identify transport signal(s) in the carboxyl-terminal region of Emp24p. Reporter molecules were constructed by replacing parts of a control invertase-Wbp1p chimera with those of Emp24p, and their transport rates were assessed. The transport of the reporter was found to be accelerated by the presence of the cytoplasmic domain of Emp24p. Mutational analyses revealed that the two carboxyl-terminal residues, leucine and valine (LV), were necessary and sufficient to accelerate the transport. The acceleration was sequence specific, and the terminal valine appeared to be more important. The LV residues accelerated not only the overall transport to the vacuole but also the ER to cis-Golgi transport, suggesting its function in the ER export. Hence the LV residues are a novel anterograde transport signal. The double-phenylalanine residues did not affect the transport by itself but attenuated the effect of the anterograde transport signal. On the other hand, the transmembrane domain significantly slowed down the ER to cis-Golgi transport and effectively counteracted the anterograde transport signal at this step. It may also take part in the retrieval of the protein, because the overall transport to the vacuole was more evidently slowed down. Consistently, the mutation of a conserved glutamine residue in the transmembrane domain further slowed down the transport in a step after arriving at the cis-Golgi. Taken together, the existence of the anterograde transport signal and the elements that regulate its function support the active recycling of Emp24p.     

Yeast Mnn9 is both a priming glycosyltransferase and an allosteric activator of mannan biosynthesis

The fungal cell possesses an essential carbohydrate cell wall. The outer layer, mannan, is formed by mannoproteins carrying highly mannosylated O- and N-linked glycans. Yeast mannan biosynthesis is initiated by a Golgi-located complex (M-Pol I) of two GT-62 mannosyltransferases, Mnn9p and Van1p, that are conserved in fungal pathogens. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans mnn9 knockouts show an aberrant cell wall and increased antibiotic sensitivity, suggesting the enzyme is a potential drug target. Here, we present the structure of ScMnn9 in complex with GDP and Mn²⁺, defining the fold and catalytic machinery of the GT-62 family. Compared with distantly related GT-78/GT-15 enzymes, ScMnn9 carries an unusual extension. Using a novel enzyme assay and site-directed mutagenesis, we identify conserved amino acids essential for ScMnn9 ‘priming’ α-1,6-mannosyltransferase activity. Strikingly, both the presence of the ScMnn9 protein and its product, but not ScMnn9 catalytic activity, are required to activate subsequent ScVan1 processive α-1,6-mannosyltransferase activity in the M-Pol I complex. These results reveal the molecular basis of mannan synthesis and will aid development of inhibitors targeting this process.     

Retrograde transport of the mannosyltransferase Och1p to the early Golgi requires a component of the COG transport complex

The yeast COG complex has been proposed to function as a vesicle-tethering complex on an early Golgi compartment, but its role is not fully understood. COG complex mutants exhibit a dramatic reduction in Golgi-specific glycosylation and other defects. Here we show that a strain carrying a COG3 temperature-sensitive allele, cog3-202, clearly exhibited the glycosylation defect while exhibiting nearly normal secretion kinetics. Two Golgi mannosyltransferases, Och1p and Mnn1p, were mislocalized in cog3-202 cells. In cog3-202 cells Och1-HA was found in lighter density membranes than in wild type cells. In sed5(ts) and sft1(ts) strains, Och1p rapidly accumulated in vesicle-like structures consistent with the delivery of Och1p back to the cis-Golgi on retrograde vesicles via a Sed5p/Sft1p-containing SNARE complex. In contrast to cog3-202 cells, the membranes in sed5(ts) cells that contained Och1p were denser than in wild type. Together these results indicate that Och1p does not accumulate in retrograde vesicles in the cog3-202 mutant and are consistent with the COG complex playing a role in sorting of Och1p into retrograde vesicles. In wild type cells Och1p has been shown previously to cycle between the cis-Golgi and minimally as far as the late Golgi. We find that Och1p does not cycle via endosomes during its normal itinerary suggesting that Och1p engages in intra-Golgi cycling only. However, Och1p does use a post-Golgi pathway for degradation because a portion of Och1p was degraded in the vacuole. Most surprisingly, Och1p can use either the carboxypeptidase Y or AP-3 pathways to reach the vacuole for degradation.     

Signal-mediated retrieval of a membrane protein from the Golgi to the ER in yeast

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Wbp1 protein is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER), type I transmembrane protein which contains a cytoplasmic dilysine (KKXX) motif. This motif has previously been shown to direct Golgi-to-ER retrieval of type I membrane proteins in mammalian cells (Jackson, M. R., T. Nilsson, and P. A. Peterson. 1993. J. Cell Biol. 121: 317-333). To analyze the role of this motif in yeast, we constructed a SUC2-WBP1 chimera consisting of the coding sequence for the normally secreted glycoprotein invertase fused to the coding sequence of the COOH terminus (including the transmembrane domain and 16-amino acid cytoplasmic tail) of Wbplp. Carbohydrate analysis of the invertase-Wbp1 fusion protein using mannose linkage-specific antiserum demonstrated that the fusion protein was efficiently modified by the early Golgi initial alpha 1,6 mannosyltransferase (Och1p). Subcellular fractionation revealed that > 90% of the alpha 1,6 mannose-modified fusion protein colocalized with the ER (Wbp1p) and not with the Golgi Och1p-containing compartment or other membrane fractions. Amino acid changes within the dily sine motif (KK-->QK, KQ, or QQ) did not change the kinetics of initial alpha 1,6 mannose modification of the fusion protein but did dramatically increase the rate of modification by more distal Golgi (elongating alpha 1,6 and alpha 1,3) mannosyltransferases. These mutant fusion proteins were then delivered directly from a late Golgi compartment to the vacuole, where they were proteolytically cleaved in a PEP4-dependent manner. While amino acids surrounding the dilysine motif played only a minor role in retention ability, mutations that altered the position of the lysines relative to the COOH terminus of the fusion protein also yielded a dramatic defect in ER retention. Collectively, our results indicate that the KKXX motif does not simply retain proteins in the ER but rather directs their rapid retrieval from a novel, Och1p-containing early Golgi compartment. Similar to observations in mammalian cells, it is the presence of two lysine residues at the appropriate COOH-terminal position which represents the most important features of this sorting determinant.     

The yeast LATS/Ndr kinase Cbk1 regulates growth via Golgi-dependent glycosylation and secretion

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cbk1 is a LATS/Ndr protein kinase and a downstream component of the regulation of Ace2 and morphogenesis (RAM) signaling network. Cbk1 and the RAM network are required for cellular morphogenesis, cell separation, and maintenance of cell integrity. Here, we examine the phenotypes of conditional cbk1 mutants to determine the essential function of Cbk1. Cbk1 inhibition severely disrupts growth and protein secretion, and triggers the Swe1-dependent morphogenesis checkpoint. Cbk1 inhibition also delays the polarity establishment of the exocytosis regulators Rab-GTPase Sec4 and its exchange factor Sec2, but it does not interfere with actin polarity establishment. Cbk1 binds to and phosphorylates Sec2, suggesting that it regulates Sec4-dependent exocytosis. Intriguingly, Cbk1 inhibition causes a >30% decrease in post-Golgi vesicle accumulation in late secretion mutants, indicating that Cbk1 also functions upstream of Sec2-Sec4, perhaps at the level of the Golgi. In agreement, conditional cbk1 mutants mislocalize the cis-Golgi mannosyltransferase Och1, are hypersensitive to the aminoglycoside hygromycin B, and exhibit diminished invertase and Sim1 glycosylation. Significantly, the conditional lethality and hygromycin B sensitivity of cbk1 mutants are suppressed by moderate overexpression of several Golgi mannosyltransferases. These data suggest that an important function for Cbk1 and the RAM signaling network is to regulate growth and secretion via Golgi and Sec2/Sec4-dependent processes.     

Manganese Redistribution by Calcium-stimulated Vesicle Trafficking Bypasses the Need for P-type ATPase Function

Regulation of intracellular ion homeostasis is essential for eukaryotic cell physiology. An example is provided by loss of ATP2C1 function, which leads to skin ulceration, improper keratinocyte adhesion, and cancer formation in Hailey-Hailey patients. The yeast ATP2C1 orthologue PMR1 codes for a Mn²⁺/Ca²⁺ transporter that is crucial for cis-Golgi manganese supply. Here, we present evidence that calcium overcomes the lack of Pmr1 through vesicle trafficking-stimulated manganese delivery and requires the endoplasmic reticulum Mn²⁺ transporter Spf1 and the late endosome/trans-Golgi Nramp metal transporter Smf2. Smf2 co-localizes with the putative Mn²⁺ transporter Atx2, and ATX2 overexpression counteracts the beneficial impact of calcium treatment. Our findings suggest that vesicle trafficking promotes organelle-specific ion interchange and cytoplasmic metal detoxification independent of calcineurin signaling or metal transporter re-localization. Our study identifies an alternative mode for cis-Golgi manganese supply in yeast and provides new perspectives for Hailey-Hailey disease treatment.     

Involvement of the Transmembrane Protein p23 in Biosynthetic Protein Transport

Here, we report the localization and characterization of BHKp23, a member of the p24 family of transmembrane proteins, in mammalian cells. We find that p23 is a major component of tubulovesicular membranes at the cis side of the Golgi complex (estimated density: 12,500 copies/μm² membrane surface area, or ≈30% of the total protein). Our data indicate that BHKp23-containing membranes are part of the cis-Golgi network/intermediate compartment . Using the G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus as a transmembrane cargo molecule, we find that p23 membranes are an obligatory station in forward biosynthetic membrane transport, but that p23 itself is absent from transport vesicles that carry the G protein to and beyond the Golgi complex. Our data show that p23 is not present to any significant extent in coat protein (COP) I-coated vesicles generated in vitro and does not colocalize with COP I buds and vesicles. Moreover, we find that p23 cytoplasmic domain is not involved in COP I membrane recruitment. Our data demonstrate that microinjected antibodies against the cytoplasmic tail of p23 inhibit G protein transport from the cis-Golgi network/ intermediate compartment to the cell surface, suggesting that p23 function is required for the transport of transmembrane cargo molecules. These observations together with the fact that p23 is a highly abundant component in the intermediate compartment, lead us to propose that p23 contributes to membrane structure, and that this contribution is necessary for efficient segregation and transport.     

YIPF5 and YIF1A recycle between the ER and the Golgi apparatus and are involved in the maintenance of the Golgi structure

Yip1p/Yif1p family proteins are five-span transmembrane proteins localized in the Golgi apparatus and the ER. There are nine family members in humans, and YIPF5 and YIF1A are the human orthologs of budding yeast Yip1p and Yif1p, respectively. We raised antisera against YIPF5 and YIF1A and examined the localization of endogenous proteins in HeLa cells. Immunofluorescence, immunoelectron microscopy and subcellular fractionation analysis suggested that YIPF5 and YIF1A are not restricted to ER exit sites but also localized in the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) and some in the cis-Golgi at steady state. Along with ERGIC53, YIPF5 and YIF1A remained in the cytoplasmic punctate structures after brefeldin A treatment, accumulated in the ERGIC and the cis-Golgi after treatment with AlF₄^- and accumulated in the ER when ER to Golgi transport was inhibited by Sar1(H79G). These results supported the localization of YIPF5 and YIF1A in the ERGIC and the cis-Golgi, and strongly suggested that they are recycling between the ER and the Golgi apparatus. Analysis by blue native PAGE and co-immunoprecipitation showed that YIPF5 and YIF1A form stable complexes of three different sizes. Interestingly, the knockdown of YIPF5 or YIF1A caused partial disassembly of the Golgi apparatus suggesting that YIPF5 and YIF1A are involved in the maintenance of the Golgi structure.     

The Mammalian Protein (rbet1) Homologous to Yeast Bet1p Is Primarily Associated with the Pre-Golgi Intermediate Compartment and Is Involved in Vesicular Transport from the Endoplasmic Reticulum to the Golgi Apparatus

Yeast Bet1p participates in vesicular transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus and functions as a soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) associated with ER-derived vesicles. A mammalian protein (rbet1) homologous to Bet1p was recently identified, and it was concluded that rbet1 is associated with the Golgi apparatus based on the subcellular localization of transiently expressed epitope-tagged rbet1. In the present study using rabbit antibodies raised against the cytoplasmic domain of rbet1, we found that the majority of rbet1 is not associated with the Golgi apparatus as marked by the Golgi mannosidase II in normal rat kidney cells. Rather, rbet1 is predominantly associated with vesicular spotty structures that concentrate in the peri-Golgi region but are also present throughout the cytoplasm. These structures colocalize with the KDEL receptor and ERGIC-53, which are known to be enriched in the intermediate compartment. When the Golgi apparatus is fragmented by nocodazole treatment, a significant portion of rbet1 is not colocalized with structures marked by Golgi mannosidase II or the KDEL receptor. Association of rbet1 in cytoplasmic spotty structures is apparently not altered by preincubation of cells at 15°C. However, upon warming up from 15 to 37°C, rbet1 concentrates into the peri-Golgi region. Furthermore, rbet1 colocalizes with vesicular stomatitis virus G-protein en route from the ER to the Golgi. Antibodies against rbet1 inhibit in vitro transport of G-protein from the ER to the Golgi apparatus in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition can be neutralized by preincubation of antibodies with recombinant rbet1. EGTA is known to inhibit ER-Golgi transport at a stage after vesicle docking but before the actual fusion event. Antibodies against rbet1 inhibit ER-Golgi transport only when they are added before the EGTA-sensitive stage. These results suggest that rbet1 may be involved in the docking process of ER- derived vesicles with the cis-Golgi membrane.     

Scattered Golgi Elements during Microtubule Disruption Are Initially Enriched in Trans-Golgi Proteins

We have addressed the question of whether or not Golgi fragmentation, as exemplified by that occurring during drug-induced microtubule depolymerization, is accompanied by the separation of Golgi subcompartments one from another. Scattering kinetics of Golgi subcompartments during microtubule disassembly and reassembly following reversible nocodazole exposure was inferred from multimarker analysis of protein distribution. Stably expressed α-2,6-sialyltransferase and N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-I (NAGT-I), both C-terminally tagged with the myc epitope, provided markers for the trans-Golgi/trans-Golgi network (TGN) and medial-Golgi, respectively, in Vero cells. Using immunogold labeling, the chimeric proteins were polarized within the Golgi stack. Total cellular distributions of recombinant proteins were assessed by immunofluorescence (anti-myc monoclonal antibody) with respect to the endogenous protein, β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (GalT, trans-Golgi/TGN, polyclonal antibody). ERGIC-53 served as a marker for the intermediate compartment). In HeLa cells, distribution of endogenous GalT was compared with transfected rat α-mannosidase II (medial-Golgi, polyclonal antibody). After a 1-h nocodazole treatment, Vero α-2,6-sialyltransferase and GalT were found in scattered cytoplasmic patches that increased in number over time. Initially these structures were often negative for NAGT-I, but over a two- to threefold slower time course, NAGT-I colocalized with α-2,6-sialyltransferase and GalT. Scattered Golgi elements were located in proximity to ERGIC-53-positive structures. Similar trans-first scattering kinetics was seen with the HeLa GalT/α-mannosidase II pairing. Following nocodazole removal, all cisternal markers accumulated at the same rate in a juxtanuclear Golgi. Accumulation of cisternal proteins in scattered Golgi elements was not blocked by microinjected GTPγS at a concentration sufficient to inhibit secretory processes. Redistribution of Golgi proteins from endoplasmic reticulum to scattered structures following brefeldin A removal in the presence of nocodazole was not blocked by GTPγS. We conclude that Golgi subcompartments can separate one from the other. We discuss how direct trafficking of Golgi proteins from the TGN/trans-Golgi to endoplasmic reticulum may explain the observed trans-first scattering of Golgi transferases in response to microtubule depolymerization.     

Expansion of the trans-Golgi network following activated collagen secretion is supported by a coiled-coil microtubule-bundling protein, p180, on the ER

A coiled-coil endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein, p180, was originally reported as a ribosome-binding receptor on the rough ER and is highly expressed in secretory tissues. Recently, we reported new functions of p180 as a microtubule-bundling protein on the ER. Here, we investigated the specific roles of p180 in the Golgi complex organization following stimulated collagen secretion. Targeted depletion of p180 by siRNA transfection caused marked reduction of TGN, while other marker levels for the cis or medial Golgi were not markedly changed. Ascorbate stimulation resulted in trans-Golgi network (TGN) expansion to the periphery in control cells that is characterized by both increased membrane amounts and extended shape. In contrast, loss of p180 resulted in retraction of the TGN regardless of ascorbate stimulation. The TGN developed to the periphery along stabilized microtubule bundles, and overexpression of MTB-1 fragment caused dominant-negative phenotypes. Once disorganized, the retracted TGN did not recover in the absence of p180 despite elevated acetylated tubulin levels. TGN46 and p180 were co-distributed in epithelial basal layer cells of human mucosal and gastrointestinal tissues. Taken together, we propose a novel function of p180-abundant ER on the TGN expansion, both of which are highly developed in various professional secretory cells.     

Entry and Exit Mechanisms at the cis-Face of the Golgi Complex

Vesicular transport of protein and lipid cargo from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cis-Golgi compartments depends on coat protein complexes, Rab GTPases, tethering factors, and membrane fusion catalysts. ER-derived vesicles deliver cargo to an ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) that then fuses with and/or matures into cis-Golgi compartments. The forward transport pathway to cis-Golgi compartments is balanced by a retrograde directed pathway that recycles transport machinery back to the ER. How trafficking through the ERGIC and cis-Golgi is coordinated to maintain organelle structure and function is poorly understood and highlights central questions regarding trafficking routes and organization of the early secretory pathway.Newly synthesized secretory proteins and lipids are transported to early Golgi compartments in dissociative carrier vesicles that are formed from the ER (Palade 1975). Through the development of biochemical, genetic and morphological approaches, outlines for the molecular machinery that catalyze this transport step and the membrane structures that comprise the early secretory compartments have been developed (Rothman 1994; Schekman and Orci 1996). Initial images and studies suggested the early secretory pathway consisted of stable compartments with ER-derived carrier vesicles shuttling cargo to pre-Golgi and Golgi compartments. However, live cell and time-lapse imaging revealed highly dynamic structures with both secretory cargo and compartment residents detected in pleiomorphic intermediates (Presley et al. 1997; Scales et al. 1997; Shima et al. 1999; Ben-Tekaya et al. 2005). Several lines of evidence now indicate that active bidirectional transport cycles between the ER, ERGIC, and cis-Golgi compartments are balanced to maintain compartment structure and function (Lee et al. 2004). The coat protein complex II (COPII) produces vesicles for forward transport from the ER whereas the coat protein complex I (COPI) buds vesicles for retrograde transport from cis-Golgi compartments to the ER (Fig. 1). Indeed inhibition of either the forward or retrograde pathways results in a rapid loss of normal ER and Golgi organization (Lippincott-Schwartz et al. 1989; Rambourg et al. 1994; Morin-Ganet et al. 2000; Ward et al. 2001). Yet, under steady-state conditions, the cis-Golgi compartments retain a characteristic composition and structure as secretory cargo passes through. These observations indicate that the structure and function of early secretory compartments are maintained at dynamic equilibrium through coordination of multiple pathways.Open in a separate windowFigure 1.Trafficking in the early secretory pathway. A simplified model depicting bidirectional transport routes between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), and cis-Golgi cisternae. COPII vesicles bud from the ER and transport cargo in an anterograde direction for tethering and fusion with the ERGIC. The ERGIC then matures into the cis-Golgi compartment and/or fuses with the cis-Golgi. COPI vesicles bud from the ERGIC and cis-Golgi compartments in a retrograde transport pathway back to the ER to recycle transport machinery.Although much of the molecular machinery required for transport to and from cis-Golgi membranes has been identified, the current challenges are to understand the sequence of molecular events that underlie the observed structural organization. Moreover, the mechanisms that govern entry and exit rates to-from cis-Golgi membranes to maintain organization at dynamic equilibrium are poorly understood. In this perspective the known key machinery required for anterograde transport to, and retrograde exit from, cis-Golgi compartments will be described, and then current models for how compartmental structure is maintained while protein and lipid cargo fluxes through will be examined. This review will survey core machinery and principles from several experimental models although it is becoming clear that different species and different cell types within a species may employ variations on a basic theme depending on cellular function. For example, in many animal cells secretory cargo passes through a well-characterized ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) en route to cis-Golgi cisternae. The ERGIC may be necessary to span the distance between ER export sites and the Golgi stack; however, the relationship of this intermediate compartment to the cis-Golgi remains unclear (Appenzeller-Herzog and Hauri 2006). In other species including yeast, Golgi organization appears less coherent and may be considered more simply as a series of intermediate compartments. Here COPII vesicles are thought to fuse directly with the cis-Golgi or this first intermediate compartment (Fig. 2) (Mogelsvang et al. 2003). Despite these quite varied structural organizations, there is a remarkable level of conservation in molecular machinery. After consideration of this conserved molecular machinery, we will return to organizational issues in transport to and from the cis-Golgi compartment.Open in a separate windowFigure 2.ER/Golgi organization in the yeast P. pastoris. Three-dimensional models reconstructed from electron microscope tomography showing proximity of ER and cis-most cisterna of the Golgi complex. Putative COPII vesicles are detected in a narrow region between the ER and cis-Golgi. For further information, see Mogelsvang et al. (2003). Bar = 100 nm. (Reprinted, with permission, from Mogelsvang et al. 2003 [American Society for Cell Biology].)     

Golgi Phosphoprotein 3 Mediates the Golgi Localization and Function of Protein O-Linked Mannose β-1,2-N-Acetlyglucosaminyltransferase 1

GOLPH3 is a highly conserved protein found across the eukaryotic lineage. The yeast homolog, Vps74p, interacts with and maintains the Golgi localization of several mannosyltransferases, which is subsequently critical for N- and O-glycosylation in yeast. Through the use of a T7 phage display, we discovered a novel interaction between GOLPH3 and a mammalian glycosyltransferase, POMGnT1, which is involved in the O-mannosylation of α-dystroglycan. The cytoplasmic tail of POMGnT1 was found to be critical for mediating its interaction with GOLPH3. Loss of this interaction resulted in the inability of POMGnT1 to localize to the Golgi and reduced the functional glycosylation of α-dystroglycan. In addition, we showed that three clinically relevant mutations present in the stem domain of POMGnT1 mislocalized to the endoplasmic reticulum, highlighting the importance of identifying the molecular mechanisms responsible for Golgi localization of glycosyltransferases. Our findings reveal a novel role for GOLPH3 in mediating the Golgi localization of POMGnT1.     

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Regulates Rat Mandibular Cartilage Thinning under Compressive Mechanical Stress

Compressive mechanical stress-induced cartilage thinning has been characterized as a key step in the progression of temporomandibular joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying this loss have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we used an established animal model for loading compressive mechanical stress to induce cartilage thinning in vivo. The mechanically stressed mandibular chondrocytes were then isolated to screen potential candidates using a proteomics approach. A total of 28 proteins were identified that were directly or indirectly associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress, including protein disulfide-isomerase, calreticulin, translationally controlled tumor protein, and peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans-isomerase protein. The altered expression of these candidates was validated at both the mRNA and protein levels. The induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress by mechanical stress loading was confirmed by the activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers, the elevation of the cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ level, and the expansion of endoplasmic reticulum membranes. More importantly, the use of a selective inhibitor to block endoplasmic reticulum stress in vivo reduced the apoptosis observed at the early stages of mechanical stress loading and inhibited the proliferation observed at the later stages of mechanical stress loading. Accordingly, the use of the inhibitor significantly restored cartilage thinning. Taken together, these results demonstrated that endoplasmic reticulum stress is significantly activated in mechanical stress-induced mandibular cartilage thinning and, more importantly, that endoplasmic reticulum stress inhibition alleviates this loss, suggesting a novel pharmaceutical strategy for the treatment of mechanical stress-induced temporomandibular joint diseases.     

Retrograde Transport from the Pre-Golgi Intermediate Compartment and the Golgi Complex Is Affected by the Vacuolar H+-ATPase Inhibitor Bafilomycin A1

The effect of the vacuolar H⁺-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) on the localization of pre-Golgi intermediate compartment (IC) and Golgi marker proteins was used to study the role of acidification in the function of early secretory compartments. Baf A1 inhibited both brefeldin A- and nocodazole-induced retrograde transport of Golgi proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whereas anterograde ER-to-Golgi transport remained largely unaffected. Furthermore, p58/ERGIC-53, which normally cycles between the ER, IC, and cis-Golgi, was arrested in pre-Golgi tubules and vacuoles, and the number of p58-positive ~80-nm Golgi (coatomer protein I) vesicles was reduced, suggesting that the drug inhibits the retrieval of the protein from post-ER compartments. In parallel, redistribution of β-coatomer protein from the Golgi to peripheral pre-Golgi structures took place. The small GTPase rab1p was detected in short pre-Golgi tubules in control cells and was efficiently recruited to the tubules accumulating in the presence of Baf A1. In contrast, these tubules showed no enrichment of newly synthesized, anterogradely transported proteins, indicating that they participate in retrograde transport. These results suggest that the pre-Golgi structures contain an active H⁺-ATPase that regulates retrograde transport at the ER–Golgi boundary. Interestingly, although Baf A1 had distinct effects on peripheral pre-Golgi structures, only more central, p58-containing elements accumulated detectable amounts of 3-(2,4-dinitroanilino)-3′-amino-N-methyldipropylamine (DAMP), a marker for acidic compartments, raising the possibility that the lumenal pH of the pre-Golgi structures gradually changes in parallel with their translocation to the Golgi region.     

Manganese-induced Trafficking and Turnover of the cis-Golgi Glycoprotein GPP130

Manganese is an essential element that is also neurotoxic at elevated exposure. However, mechanisms regulating Mn homeostasis in mammalian cells are largely unknown. Because increases in cytosolic Mn induce rapid changes in the localization of proteins involved in regulating intracellular Mn concentrations in yeast, we were intrigued to discover that low concentrations of extracellular Mn induced rapid redistribution of the mammalian cis-Golgi glycoprotein Golgi phosphoprotein of 130 kDa (GPP130) to multivesicular bodies. GPP130 was subsequently degraded in lysosomes. The Mn-induced trafficking of GPP130 occurred from the Golgi via a Rab-7–dependent pathway and did not require its transit through the plasma membrane or early endosomes. Although the cytoplasmic domain of GPP130 was dispensable for its ability to respond to Mn, its lumenal stem domain was required and it had to be targeted to the cis-Golgi for the Mn response to occur. Remarkably, the stem domain was sufficient to confer Mn sensitivity to another cis-Golgi protein. Our results identify the stem domain of GPP130 as a novel Mn sensor in the Golgi lumen of mammalian cells.     

The Yeast v-SNARE Vti1p Mediates Two Vesicle Transport Pathways through Interactions with the t-SNAREs Sed5p and Pep12p

Membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells requires that specific v-SNAREs on transport vesicles interact with specific t-SNAREs on target membranes. We identified a novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae v-SNARE (Vti1p) encoded by the essential gene, VTI1. Vti1p interacts with the prevacuolar t-SNARE Pep12p to direct Golgi to prevacuolar traffic. vti1-1 mutant cells missorted and secreted the soluble vacuolar hydrolase carboxypeptidase Y (CPY) rapidly and reversibly when vti1-1 cells were shifted to the restrictive temperature. However, overexpression of Pep12p suppressed the CPY secretion defect exhibited by vti1-1 cells at 36°C. Characterization of a second vti1 mutant, vti1-11, revealed that Vti1p also plays a role in membrane traffic at a cis-Golgi stage. vti1-11 mutant cells displayed a growth defect and accumulated the ER and early Golgi forms of both CPY and the secreted protein invertase at the nonpermissive temperature. Overexpression of the yeast cis-Golgi t-SNARE Sed5p suppressed the accumulation of the ER form of CPY but did not lead to CPY transport to the vacuole in vti1-11 cells. Overexpression of Sed5p allowed growth in the absence of Vti1p. In vitro binding and coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed that Vti1p interacts directly with the two t-SNAREs, Sed5p and Pep12p. These data suggest that Vti1p plays a role in cis-Golgi membrane traffic, which is essential for yeast viability, and a nonessential role in the fusion of Golgi-derived vesicles with the prevacuolar compartment. Therefore, a single v-SNARE can interact functionally with two different t-SNAREs in directing membrane traffic in yeast.     

GNPTAB missense mutations cause loss of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase activity in mucolipidosis type II through distinct mechanisms

Mucolipidoses (ML) II and III alpha/beta are lysosomal storage diseases caused by pathogenic mutations in GNPTAB encoding the α⁄β-subunit precursor of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. To determine genotype-phenotype correlation and functional analysis of mutant GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, 13 Brazilian patients clinically and biochemical diagnosed for MLII or III alpha/beta were studied. By sequencing of genomic GNPTAB of the MLII and MLIII alpha/beta patients we identified six novel mutations: p.D76G, p.S385L, p.Q278Kfs*3, p.H588Qfs*27, p.N642Lfs*10 and p.Y1111*. Expression analysis by western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the mutant α⁄β-subunit precursor p.D76G is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum whereas the mutant p.S385L is correctly transported to the cis-Golgi apparatus and proteolytically processed. Both mutations lead to complete loss of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase activity, consistent with the severe clinical MLII phenotype of the patients. Our study expands the genotypic spectrum of MLII and provides novel insights into structural requirements to ensure GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase activity.