Sphingomyelin organization is required for vesicle biogenesis at the Golgi complex

Sphingomyelin and cholesterol can assemble into domains and segregate from other lipids in the membranes. These domains are reported to function as platforms for protein transport and signalling. Do similar domains exist in the Golgi membranes and are they required for protein secretion? We tested this hypothesis by using D ‐ceramide‐C6 to manipulate lipid homeostasis of the Golgi membranes. Lipidomics of the Golgi membranes isolated from D ‐ceramide‐C6‐treated HeLa cells revealed an increase in the levels of C6‐sphingomyelin, C6‐glucosylceramide, and diacylglycerol. D ‐ceramide‐C6 treatment in HeLa cells inhibited transport carrier formation at the Golgi membranes without affecting the fusion of incoming carriers. The defect in protein secretion as a result of D ‐ceramide‐C6 treatment was alleviated by knockdown of the sphingomyelin synthases 1 and 2. C6‐sphingomyelin prevented liquid‐ordered domain formation in giant unilamellar vesicles and reduced the lipid order in the Golgi membranes of HeLa cells. These findings highlight the importance of a regulated production and organization of sphingomyelin in the biogenesis of transport carriers at the Golgi membranes.     

Cytoskeleton mediating transport between the ER system and the Golgi apparatus in the green alga Scenedesmus acutus

In the green alga Scenedesmus acutus, Golgi bodies are located near the nucleus and supplied with transition vesicles that bud from the outer nuclear envelope membrane. Using this alga, we have shown previously that thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase), a marker enzyme of Golgi bodies, migrates in vesicles from the Golgi bodies to the ER via the nuclear envelope in the presence of BFA (Noguchi et al., Protoplasma 201, 202-212, 1998). In this study we demonstrate that both cytochalasin B and oryzalin (microtubule-disrupting agent) inhibit the BFA-induced migration of TPPase from Golgi bodies to the nuclear envelope. However, only actin filaments--not microtubules--can be detected between the nuclear envelope and the Golgi bodies in both BFA-treated and untreated cells. These observations suggest that actin filaments mediate the BFA-induced retrograde transport of vesicles. This mechanism differs from that found in mammalian cells, in which microtubules mediate BFA-induced retrograde transport by the elongation of membrane tubules from the Golgi cisternae. We also discuss the non-participation of the cytoskeleton in anterograde transport from the nuclear envelope to the Golgi bodies.     

Biochemical sub-fractionation of the mammalian Golgi apparatus

We have exploited the breakdown of the Golgi apparatus that occurs during mitosis to isolate subfractions using immuno-affinity methods. Rat liver Golgi stacks were treated with mitotic cytosol from HeLa cells, and the fragments were then incubated with antibodies immobilized on magnetic beads. Antibodies against the cis -Golgi marker, GM130, bound membranes that were depleted in the trans -Golgi network marker, TGN38, whereas antibodies against the cytoplasmic tail of TGN38 did the reverse. A range of other Golgi enzymes, SNAREs and tethers were also tested and were found to bind to anti-GM130 antibodies to an extent that reflected their proximity to cis -cisternae as determined by other techniques. This method should provide a useful complement to the immuno-EM methods presently used to map the Golgi apparatus .     

Photodynamic therapy with redaporfin targets the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus

Preclinical evidence depicts the capacity of redaporfin (Redp) to act as potent photosensitizer, causing direct antineoplastic effects as well as indirect immune‐dependent destruction of malignant lesions. Here, we investigated the mechanisms through which photodynamic therapy (PDT) with redaporfin kills cancer cells. Subcellular localization and fractionation studies based on the physicochemical properties of redaporfin revealed its selective tropism for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus (GA). When activated, redaporfin caused rapid reactive oxygen species‐dependent perturbation of ER/GA compartments, coupled to ER stress and an inhibition of the GA‐dependent secretory pathway. This led to a general inhibition of protein secretion by PDT‐treated cancer cells. The ER/GA play a role upstream of mitochondria in the lethal signaling pathway triggered by redaporfin‐based PDT. Pharmacological perturbation of GA function or homeostasis reduces mitochondrial permeabilization. In contrast, removal of the pro‐apoptotic multidomain proteins BAX and BAK or pretreatment with protease inhibitors reduced cell killing, yet left the GA perturbation unaffected. Altogether, these results point to the capacity of redaporfin to kill tumor cells via destroying ER/GA function.     

Sorting out glycosylation enzymes in the Golgi apparatus

The study of glycosylation and glycosylation enzymes has been instrumental for the advancement of Cell Biology. After Neutra and Leblond showed that the Golgi apparatus is the main site of glycosylation, elucidation of oligosaccharide structures by Baenziger and Kornfeld and subsequent mapping of glycosylation enzymes followed. This enabled development of an in vitro transport assay by Rothman and co-workers using glycosylation to monitor intra Golgi transport which, complemented by yeast genetics by Schekman and co-workers, provided much of the fundamental insights and key components of the secretory pathway that we today take for granted. Glycobiology continues to play a key role in Cell Biology and here, we look at the use of glycosylation enzymes to elucidate intra Golgi transport.     

The mitotic phosphatase cdc25C at the Golgi apparatus

cdc25C is a phosphatase which regulates the activity of the mitosis promoting factor cyclin B/cdk1 by dephosphorylation, thus triggering G(2)/M transition. The activity of cdc25C is regulated by phosphorylation which by itself is implicated in regulating the subcellular localization. It is well accepted that cdc25C has to enter the nucleus to activate the cyclin B/cdk1 complex at G(2)/M transition. Here, we will show that cdc25C is located in the cytoplasm at defined dense structures which by immunofluorescence analysis as well as by biochemical subfractionation turned out to be the Golgi apparatus. It will be further shown that cdc25C at the Golgi fraction is an active phosphatase suggesting an additional and new role of cdc25C at the Golgi apparatus.     

1998: The centenary of the discovery of the Golgi apparatus

1998 is the year of the centenary of the discovery of the Golgi apparatus. This event is considered in its historical context: the first cell theory of 1838–1839, the first polemics in cytology and the research on the cell organelles at the turn of the century. The first approaches to clarify the physiological significance of the apparatus is traced from Golgi (1909) to Bowen (1929).     

Kinetic characterization of calcium uptake by the rat liver Golgi apparatus

We carried out a kinetic characterization of the Ca(2+)active transport in the rat liver Golgi Apparatus (GA) membrane. Calcium accumulation by vesicles of a GA enriched fraction was found to be a function of both Ca(2+)and ATP-Mg concentrations, it was inhibited by 2 microm thapsigargin but not stimulated by 3 microm calmodulin. The kinetic parameter values obtained for the GA Ca(2+)pump were: J(max)of 3.96 nmol/mg min, K(m)for Ca(2+)of 0.150 microm and two K(m)'s for ATP of 1.14 microm and 519 microm. These results were almost identical to those obtained for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) fraction, indicating that the GA Ca(2+)pump is a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) P-type, analogous-if not identical-to that present in the ER.     

Overexpression of Rab22a hampers the transport between endosomes and the Golgi apparatus

The transport and sorting of soluble and membrane-associated macromolecules arriving at endosomal compartments require a complex set of Rab proteins. Rab22a has been localized to the endocytic compartment; however, very little is known about the function of Rab22a and inconsistent results have been reported in studies performed in different cell lines. To characterize the function of Rab22a in endocytic transport, the wild-type protein (Rab22a WT), a hydrolysis-deficient mutant (Rab22a Q64L), and a mutant with reduced affinity for GTP (Rab22a S19N) were expressed in CHO cells. None of the three Rab22a constructs affected the transport of rhodamine-dextran to lysosomes, the digestion of internalized proteins, or the lysosomal localization of cathepsin D. In contrast with the mild effect of Rab22a on the endosome-lysosome route, cells expressing Rab22a WT and Rab22a Q64L presented a strong delay in the retrograde transport of cholera toxin from endosomes to the Golgi apparatus. Moreover, these cells accumulated the cation independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor in endosomes. These observations indicate that Rab22a can affect the trafficking from endosomes to the Golgi apparatus probably by promoting fusion among endosomes and impairing the proper segregation of membrane domains required for targeting to the trans-Golgi network (TGN).     

Cell biology of the plant Golgi apparatus

The higher plant Golgi apparatus, comprising many individual stacks of membrane bounded cisternae, is one of the most enigmatic of the cytoplasmic organelles. Not only can the stacks receive material from the endoplasmic reticulum, process it and target it to the correct cellular destination, but they can also synthesise and export complex carbohydrates and lipids and most likely act as one end point of the endocytic pathway. In many cells such processing and sorting can take place while the stacks are moving within the cytoplasm and, remarkably, the organelle manages to retain its structural integrity. This review considers some of the latest data and views on transport both to and from the Golgi and the mechanisms by which such activity is regulated.     

The p24 family and selective transport processes at the ER—Golgi interface

The secretory pathway is of vital importance for eukaryotic cells and has a pivotal role in the synthesis, sorting, processing and secretion of a large variety of bioactive molecules involved in intercellular communication. One of the key processes in the secretory pathway concerns the transport of cargo proteins from the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) to the Golgi. Type‐I transmembrane proteins of ～24 kDa are abundantly present in the membranes of the early secretory pathway, and bind the COPI and COPII coat complexes that cover vesicles travelling between the membranes. These p24 proteins are thought to play an important role in the selective transport processes at the ER—Golgi interface, although their exact functioning is still obscure. One model proposes that p24 proteins couple cargo selection in the lumen with vesicle coat recruitment in the cytosol. Alternatively, p24 proteins may furnish subcompartments of the secretory pathway with the correct subsets of machinery proteins. Here we review the current knowledge of the p24 proteins and the various roles proposed for the p24 family members.     

The Golgi apparatus in the endomembrane-rich gastric parietal cells exist as functional stable mini-stacks dispersed throughout the cytoplasm

Background information. Acid‐secreting gastric parietal cells are polarized epithelial cells that harbour highly abundant and specialized, H⁺, K⁺ ATPase‐containing, tubulovesicular membranes in the apical cytoplasm. The Golgi apparatus has been implicated in the biogenesis of the tubulovesicular membranes; however, an unanswered question is how a typical Golgi organization could regulate normal membrane transport within the membrane‐dense cytoplasm of parietal cells. Results. Here, we demonstrate that the Golgi apparatus of parietal cells is not the typical juxta‐nuclear ribbon of stacks, but rather individual Golgi units are scattered throughout the cytoplasm. The Golgi membrane structures labelled with markers of both cis‐ and trans‐Golgi membrane, indicating the presence of intact Golgi stacks. The parietal cell Golgi stacks were closely aligned with the microtubule network and were shown to participate in both anterograde and retrograde transport pathways. Dispersed Golgi stacks were also observed in parietal cells from H⁺, K⁺ ATPase‐deficient mice that lack tubulovesicular membranes. Conclusions. These results indicate that the unusual organization of individual Golgi stacks dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of these terminally differentiated cells is likely to be a developmentally regulated event.     

Microtubule nucleation at the cis‐side of the Golgi apparatus requires AKAP450 and GM130

We report that microtubule (MT) nucleation at the Golgi apparatus requires AKAP450, a centrosomal γ‐TuRC‐interacting protein that also forms a distinct network associated with the Golgi. Depletion of AKAP450 abolished MT nucleation at the Golgi, whereas depletion of the cis‐Golgi protein GM130 led to the disorganisation of AKAP450 network and impairment of MT nucleation. Brefeldin‐A treatment induced relocalisation of AKAP450 to ER exit sites and concomitant redistribution of MT nucleation capacity to the ER. AKAP450 specifically binds the cis‐side of the Golgi in an MT‐independent, GM130‐dependent manner. Short AKAP450‐dependent growing MTs are covered by CLASP2. Like for centrosome, dynein/dynactin complexes are necessary to anchor MTs growing from the Golgi. We further show that Golgi‐associated AKAP450 has a role in cell migration rather than in cell polarisation of the centrosome–Golgi apparatus. We propose that the recruitment of AKAP450 on the Golgi membranes through GM130 allows centrosome‐associated nucleating activity to extend to the Golgi, to control the assembly of subsets of MTs ensuring specific functions within the Golgi or for transporting specific cargos to the cell periphery.     

Ultrastructural changes in the Golgi apparatus and secretory granules of HL-60 cells treated with the imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin

The imino sugar N-butyldeoxynojirimycin inhibits the N-linked oligosaccharide processing enzymes α-glucosidases I and II, and the ceramide specific glucosyltransferase which catalyses the first step in glucosphingolipid biosynthesis. We have studied the effects of this compound on the ultrastructure of HL-60 cells to identify novel activities of this compound. Treatment of HL-60 cells with this imino sugar results in several morphological changes within the cell, none of which result in cytotoxicity. The plasma membrane stains heavily with potassium ferrocyanide within 30 min following addition of the compound to the medium, and there is then a time dependent involvement of all other intracellular membranes. Secretory granules become enlarged and lose their dense core morphology and appear either empty and vacuolated or have low density contents. However, the most striking effect of NB-DNJ treatment is on the Golgi apparatus. The Golgi exhibits a time-dependent change from typical Golgi morphology to a structure almost completely devoid of cisternae and consisting predominantly of vesicles. All the observed changes are fully reversible on withdrawal of the compound.     

Targeting of proteins to the Golgi apparatus

The Golgi apparatus maintains a highly organized structure in spite of the intense membrane traffic which flows into and out of this organelle. Resident Golgi proteins must have localization signals to ensure that they are targeted to the correct Golgi compartment and not swept further along the secretory pathway. There are a number of distinct groups of Golgi membrane proteins, including glycosyltransferases, recyclingtrans-Golgi network proteins, peripheral membrane proteins, receptors and viral glycoproteins. Recent studies indicate that there are a number of different Golgi localization signals and mechanisms for retaining proteins to the Golgi apparatus. This review focuses on the current knowledge in this field.     

Interaction of Golgin‐84 with the COG Complex Mediates the Intra‐Golgi Retrograde Transport

The coiled‐coil Golgi membrane protein golgin‐84 functions as a tethering factor for coat protein I (COPI) vesicles. Protein interaction analyses have revealed that golgin‐84 interacts with another tether, the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex, through its subunit Cog7. Therefore, we explored the function of golgin‐84 as the tether for COPI vesicles of intra‐Golgi retrograde traffic. First, glycosylic maturation of both plasma membrane (CD44) and lysosomal (lamp1) glycoproteins was distorted in golgin‐84 knockdown (KD) cells. The depletion of golgin‐84 caused fragmentation of the Golgi with the mislocalization of Golgi resident proteins, resulting in the accumulation of vesicles carrying intra‐Golgi soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) and cis‐Golgi membrane protein GPP130. Similar observations were obtained by diminution of the COG complex, suggesting a strong correlation between the two tethers. Indeed, COG complex‐dependent (CCD) vesicles that accumulate in Cog3 or Cog7 KD cells carried golgin‐84. Surprisingly, the interaction between golgin‐84 and another candidate tethering partner CASP (CDP/cut alternatively spliced product) decreased in Cog3 KD cells. These results indicate that golgin‐84 on COPI vesicles interact with the COG complex before SNARE assembly, suggesting that the interaction of golgin‐84 with COG plays an important role in the tethering process of intra‐Golgi retrograde vesicle traffic.     

The overexpression of GMAP-210 blocks anterograde and retrograde transport between the ER and the Golgi apparatus

Golgi Microtubule-Associated Protein (GMAP)-210 is a peripheral coiled-coil protein associated with the cis -Golgi network that interacts with microtubule minus ends. GMAP-210 overexpression has previously been shown to perturb the microtubule network and to induce a dramatic enlargement and fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus (Infante C, Ramos-Morales F, Fedriani C, Bornens M, Rios RM. J Cell Biol 1999; 145: 83–98). We now report that overexpressing GMAP-210 blocks the anterograde transport of both a soluble form of alkaline phosphatase and the hemagglutinin protein of influenza virus, an integral membrane protein, between the endoplasmic reticulum and the cis /medial (mannosidase II-positive) Golgi compartment. Retrograde transport of the Shiga toxin B-subunit is also blocked between the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum. As a consequence, the B-subunit accumulates in compartments positive for GMAP-210. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that, under these conditions, the Golgi complex is totally disassembled and Golgi proteins as well as proteins of the intermediate compartment are found in vesicle clusters distributed throughout the cell. The role of GMAP-210 on membrane processes at the interface between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus is discussed in the light of the property of this protein to bind CGN membranes and microtubules.     

COG6 Interacts with a Subset of the Golgi SNAREs and Is Important for the Golgi Complex Integrity

Vesicular tethers and SNAREs are two key protein components that govern docking and fusion of intracellular membrane carriers in eukaryotic cells. The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex has been specifically implicated in the tethering of retrograde intra‐Golgi vesicles. Using yeast two‐hybrid and co‐immunoprecipitation approaches, we show that the COG6 subunit of the COG complex is capable of interacting with a subset of Golgi SNAREs, namely STX5, STX6, GS27 and SNAP29. Interaction with SNAREs is accomplished via the universal SNARE‐binding motif of COG6. Overexpression of COG6, or its depletion from cells, disrupts the integrity of the Golgi complex. Importantly, COG6 protein lacking the SNARE‐binding domain is deficient in Golgi binding, and is not capable of inducing Golgi complex fragmentation when overexpressed. These results indicate that COG6–SNARE interactions are important for both COG6 localization and Golgi integrity .     

Correlative light-electron microscopy reveals the tubular-saccular ultrastructure of carriers operating between Golgi apparatus and plasma membrane

Transport intermediates (TIs) have a central role in intracellular traffic, and much effort has been directed towards defining their molecular organization. Unfortunately, major uncertainties remain regarding their true structure in living cells. To address this question, we have developed an approach based on the combination of the green fluorescent protein technology and correlative light-electron microscopy, by which it is possible to monitor an individual carrier in vivo and then take a picture of its ultrastructure at any moment of its life-cycle. We have applied this technique to define the structure of TIs operating from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane, whose in vivo dynamics have been characterized recently by light microscopy. We find that these carriers are large (ranging from 0.3-1.7 microm in maximum diameter, nearly half the size of a Golgi cisterna), comprise almost exclusively tubular-saccular structures, and fuse directly with the plasma membrane, sometimes minutes after docking to the fusion site.     

Evidence that Golgi structure depends on a p115 activity that is independent of the vesicle tether components giantin and GM130

Inhibition of the putative coatomer protein I (COPI) vesicle tethering complex, giantin-p115-GM130, may contribute to mitotic Golgi breakdown. However, neither this, nor the role of the giantin-p115-GM130 complex in the maintenance of Golgi structure has been demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, we generated antibodies directed against the mapped binding sites in each protein of the complex and injected these into mammalian tissue culture cells. Surprisingly, the injected anti-p115 and antigiantin antibodies caused proteasome-mediated degradation of the corresponding antigens. Reduction of p115 levels below detection led to COPI-dependent Golgi fragmentation and apparent accumulation of Golgi-derived vesicles. In contrast, neither reduction of giantin below detectable levels, nor inhibition of p115 binding to GM130, had any detectable effect on Golgi structure or Golgi reassembly after cell division or brefeldin A washout. These observations indicate that inhibition of p115 can induce a mitotic-like Golgi disassembly, but its essential role in Golgi structure is independent of its Golgi-localized binding partners giantin and GM130.