Regulation of WASH-dependent actin polymerization and protein trafficking by ubiquitination

The retromer complex in development and disease

The retromer complex is a multimeric protein complex involved in recycling proteins from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network or plasma membrane. It thus regulates the abundance and subcellular distribution of its cargo within cells. Studies using model organisms show that the retromer complex is involved in specific developmental processes. Moreover, a number of recent studies implicate aberrant retromer function in photoreceptor degeneration, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Here, and in the accompanying poster, we provide an overview of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of retromer-mediated protein trafficking, highlighting key examples of retromer function in vivo.

Retromer and sorting nexins in endosomal sorting

The evolutionarily conserved endosomal retromer complex rescues transmembrane proteins from the lysosomal degradative pathway and facilitates their recycling to other cellular compartments. Retromer functions in conjunction with numerous associated proteins, including select members of the sorting nexin (SNX) family. In the present article, we review the molecular architecture and cellular roles of retromer and its various functional partners. The endosomal network is a crucial hub in the trafficking of proteins through the cellular endomembrane system. Transmembrane proteins, here termed cargos, enter endosomes by endocytosis from the plasma membrane or by trafficking from the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Endosomal cargo proteins face one of the two fates: retention in the endosome, leading ultimately to lysosomal degradation or export from the endosome for reuse ('recycling'). The balance of protein degradation and recycling is crucial to cellular homoeostasis; inappropriate sorting of proteins to either fate leads to cellular dysfunction. Retromer is an endosome-membrane-associated protein complex central to the recycling of many cargo proteins from endosomes, both to the TGN and the plasma membrane (and other specialized compartments, e.g. lysosome-related organelles). Retromer function is reliant on a number of proteins from the SNX family. In the present article, we discuss this inter-relationship and how defects in retromer function are increasingly being linked with human disease.

Actin Cytoskeletal Organization in Drosophila Germline Ring Canals Depends on Kelch Function in a Cullin-RING E3 Ligase

The Drosophila Kelch protein is required to organize the ovarian ring canal cytoskeleton. Kelch binds and cross-links F-actin in vitro, and it also functions with Cullin 3 (Cul3) as a component of a ubiquitin E3 ligase. How these two activities contribute to cytoskeletal remodeling in vivo is not known. We used targeted mutagenesis to investigate the mechanism of Kelch function. We tested a model in which Cul3-dependent degradation of Kelch is required for its function, but we found no evidence to support this hypothesis. However, we found that mutant Kelch deficient in its ability to interact with Cul3 failed to rescue the kelch cytoskeletal defects, suggesting that ubiquitin ligase activity is the principal activity required in vivo. We also determined that the proteasome is required with Kelch to promote the ordered growth of the ring canal cytoskeleton. These results indicate that Kelch organizes the cytoskeleton in vivo by targeting a protein substrate for degradation by the proteasome.

USP7 Acts as a Molecular Rheostat to Promote WASH-Dependent Endosomal Protein Recycling and Is Mutated in a Human Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Endosomal protein recycling is a fundamental cellular process important for cellular homeostasis, signaling, and fate determination that is implicated in several diseases. WASH is an actin-nucleating protein essential for this process, and its activity is controlled through K63-linked ubiquitination by the MAGE-L2-TRIM27 ubiquitin ligase. Here, we show that the USP7 deubiquitinating enzyme is an integral component of the MAGE-L2-TRIM27 ligase and is essential for WASH-mediated endosomal actin assembly and protein recycling. Mechanistically, USP7 acts as a molecular rheostat to precisely fine-tune endosomal F-actin levels by counteracting TRIM27 auto-ubiquitination/degradation and preventing overactivation of WASH through directly deubiquitinating it. Importantly, we identify de novo heterozygous loss-of-function mutations of USP7 in individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder, featuring intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. These results provide unanticipated insights into endosomal trafficking, illuminate the cooperativity between an ubiquitin ligase and a deubiquitinating enzyme, and establish a role for USP7 in human neurodevelopmental disease.

The MAGE protein family and cancer

The Melanoma Antigen Gene (MAGE) protein family is a large, highly conserved group of proteins that share a common MAGE homology domain. Intriguingly, many MAGE proteins are restricted in expression to reproductive tissues, but are aberrantly expressed in a wide variety of cancer types. Originally discovered as antigens on tumor cells and developed as cancer immunotherapy targets, recent literature suggests a more prominent role for MAGEs in driving tumorigenesis. This review will highlight recent developments into the function of MAGEs as oncogenes, their mechanisms of action in regulation of ubiquitin ligases, and outstanding questions in the field.

Emerging roles of sumoylation in the regulation of actin, microtubules, intermediate filaments, and septins

Sumoylation is a powerful regulatory system that controls many of the critical processes in the cell, including DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, nuclear transport, and DNA replication. Recently, new functions for SUMO have begun to emerge. SUMO is covalently attached to components of each of the four major cytoskeletal networks, including microtubule-associated proteins, septins, and intermediate filaments, in addition to nuclear actin and actin-regulatory proteins. However, knowledge of the mechanisms by which this signal transduction system controls the cytoskeleton is still in its infancy. One story that is beginning to unfold is that SUMO may regulate the microtubule motor protein dynein by modification of its adaptor Lis1. In other instances, cytoskeletal elements can both bind to SUMO non-covalently and also be conjugated by it. The molecular mechanisms for many of these new functions are not yet clear, but are under active investigation. One emerging model links the function of MAP sumoylation to protein degradation through SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases, also known as STUbL enzymes. Other possible functions for cytoskeletal sumoylation are also discussed.

Monitoring receptor trafficking following retromer and WASH deregulation

Cell surface receptors that have been internalized and enter the endocytic pathway have multiple fates including entrance into the multivesicular body pathway on their way to lysosomal degradation, recycling back to the cell surface, or retrograde trafficking out of the endolysosomal system back to the Golgi apparatus. Two ubiquitously expressed protein complexes, WASH and the endosomal coat complex retromer, function together to play a central role in directing the fate of receptors into the latter two pathways. In this chapter, we describe fluorescent- and flow cytometry-based methods for analyzing the recycling and retrograde trafficking of two receptors, α5β1 and CI-M6PR, whose intracellular fates are regulated by WASH and retromer activity. The guidelines presented in this chapter can be applied to the analysis of any cell surface or intracellular membrane protein to determine the impact of WASH or retromer deregulation on its intracellular trafficking route.

A novel synthetic chemistry approach to linkage-specific ubiquitin conjugation

Ubiquitination is of great importance as the post-translational modification of proteins with ubiquitin, or ubiquitin chains, facilitates a number of vital cellular processes. Herein we present a facile method of preparing various ubiquitin conjugates under mild conditions using michael acceptors based on dibromo-maleimides and dibromo-pyridazinediones.

Degradation of AMPK by a cancer-specific ubiquitin ligase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master sensor and regulator of cellular energy status. Upon metabolic stress, AMPK suppresses anabolic and promotes catabolic processes to regain energy homeostasis. Cancer cells can occasionally suppress the growth-restrictive AMPK pathway by mutation of an upstream regulatory kinase. Here, we describe a widespread mechanism to suppress AMPK through its ubiquitination and degradation by the cancer-specific MAGE-A3/6-TRIM28 ubiquitin ligase. MAGE-A3 and MAGE-A6 are highly similar proteins normally expressed only in the male germline but frequently re-activated in human cancers. MAGE-A3/6 are necessary for cancer cell viability and are sufficient to drive tumorigenic properties of non-cancerous cells. Screening for targets of MAGE-A3/6-TRIM28 revealed that it ubiquitinates and degrades AMPKα1. This leads to inhibition of autophagy, activation of mTOR signaling, and hypersensitization to AMPK agonists, such as metformin. These findings elucidate a germline mechanism commonly hijacked in cancer to suppress AMPK.

Role of E2-Ub-conjugating enzymes during skeletal muscle atrophy

The Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) is a major actor of muscle wasting during various physio-pathological situations. In the past 15 years, increasing amounts of data have depicted a picture, although incomplete, of the mechanisms implicated in myofibrillar protein degradation, from the discovery of muscle-specific E3 ligases to the identification of the signaling pathways involved. The targeting specificity of the UPS relies on the capacity of the system to first recognize and then label the proteins to be degraded with a poly-ubiquitin (Ub) chain. It is fairly assumed that the recognition of the substrate is accomplished by the numerous E3 ligases present in mammalian cells. However, most E3s do not possess any catalytic activity and E2 enzymes may be more than simple Ub-providers for E3s since they are probably important actors in the ubiquitination machinery. Surprisingly, most authors have tried to characterize E3 substrates, but the exact role of E2s in muscle protein degradation is largely unknown. A very limited number of the 35 E2s described in humans have been studied in muscle protein breakdown experiments and the vast majority of studies were only descriptive. We review here the role of E2 enzymes in skeletal muscle and the difficulties linked to their study and provide future directions for the identification of muscle E2s responsible for the ubiquitination of contractile proteins.

COMMD1 is linked to the WASH complex and regulates endosomal trafficking of the copper transporter ATP7A

COMMD1 deficiency results in defective copper homeostasis, but the mechanism for this has remained elusive. Here we report that COMMD1 is directly linked to early endosomes through its interaction with a protein complex containing CCDC22, CCDC93, and C16orf62. This COMMD/CCDC22/CCDC93 (CCC) complex interacts with the multisubunit WASH complex, an evolutionarily conserved system, which is required for endosomal deposition of F-actin and cargo trafficking in conjunction with the retromer. Interactions between the WASH complex subunit FAM21, and the carboxyl-terminal ends of CCDC22 and CCDC93 are responsible for CCC complex recruitment to endosomes. We show that depletion of CCC complex components leads to lack of copper-dependent movement of the copper transporter ATP7A from endosomes, resulting in intracellular copper accumulation and modest alterations in copper homeostasis in humans with CCDC22 mutations. This work provides a mechanistic explanation for the role of COMMD1 in copper homeostasis and uncovers additional genes involved in the regulation of copper transporter recycling.

Versatile roles of k63-linked ubiquitin chains in trafficking

Modification by Lys63-linked ubiquitin (UbK63) chains is the second most abundant form of ubiquitylation. In addition to their role in DNA repair or kinase activation, UbK63 chains interfere with multiple steps of intracellular trafficking. UbK63 chains decorate many plasma membrane proteins, providing a signal that is often, but not always, required for their internalization. In yeast, plants, worms and mammals, this same modification appears to be critical for efficient sorting to multivesicular bodies and subsequent lysosomal degradation. UbK63 chains are also one of the modifications involved in various forms of autophagy (mitophagy, xenophagy, or aggrephagy). Here, in the context of trafficking, we report recent structural studies investigating UbK63 chains assembly by various E2/E3 pairs, disassembly by deubiquitylases, and specifically recognition as sorting signals by receptors carrying Ub-binding domains, often acting in tandem. In addition, we address emerging and unanticipated roles of UbK63 chains in various recycling pathways that function by activating nucleators required for actin polymerization, as well as in the transient recruitment of signaling molecules at the plasma or ER membrane. In this review, we describe recent advances that converge to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the wealth of trafficking functions of UbK63 chains.

TIPE2 inhibits TNF-α-induced hepatocellular carcinoma cell metastasis via Erk1/2 downregulation and NF-κB activation

Tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like 2 (TNFAIP8L2, TIPE2), which belongs to the TNF-α-induced protein 8 family, is a negative regulator of immune homeostasis. Although pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α have been reported to be involved in liver carcinoma metastasis, the effect of TIPE2 on hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis remains unknown. We demonstrate that TNF-α clearly augments MMP-13/MMP-3 expression and promotes cell migration in HepG2 cells through activation of the Erk1/2-NF-κB pathways. Interestingly, in addition to human PBLs, macrophages and fibroblasts, liver cancer cells specifically express TNF-α following LPS treatment. Most importantly, TIPE2 overexpression efficiently abrogates the effects of LPS on TNF-α secretion and abolishes the effects of TNF-α on MMP-13/MMP-3 upregulation, cell migration and Erk1/2-NF-κB activation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that TIPE2 was able to suppress TNF-α-induced hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inhibiting Erk1/2 and NF-κB activation, indicating that both TNF-α and TIPE2 might be potential targets for the treatment of HCC metastasis.

Identification of TRIM27 as a novel degradation target of herpes simplex virus 1 ICP0

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) immediate early protein ICP0 performs many functions during infection, including transactivation of viral gene expression, suppression of innate immune responses, and modification and eviction of histones from viral chromatin. Although these functions of ICP0 have been characterized, the detailed mechanisms underlying ICP0's complex role during infection warrant further investigation. We thus undertook an unbiased proteomic approach to identifying viral and cellular proteins that interact with ICP0 in the infected cell. Cellular candidates resulting from our analysis included the ubiquitin-specific protease USP7, the transcriptional repressor TRIM27, DNA repair proteins NBN and MRE11A, regulators of apoptosis, including BIRC6, and the proteasome. We also identified two HSV-1 early proteins involved in nucleotide metabolism, UL39 and UL50, as novel candidate interactors of ICP0. Because TRIM27 was the most statistically significant cellular candidate, we investigated the relationship between TRIM27 and ICP0. We observed rapid, ICP0-dependent loss of TRIM27 during HSV-1 infection. TRIM27 protein levels were restored by disrupting the RING domain of ICP0 or by inhibiting the proteasome, arguing that TRIM27 is a novel degradation target of ICP0. A mutant ICP0 lacking E3 ligase activity interacted with endogenous TRIM27 during infection as demonstrated by reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation and supported by immunofluorescence data. Surprisingly, ICP0-null mutant virus yields decreased upon TRIM27 depletion, arguing that TRIM27 has a positive effect on infection despite being targeted for degradation. These results illustrate a complex interaction between TRIM27 and viral infection with potential positive or negative effects of TRIM27 on HSV under different infection conditions.

IMPORTANCE

During productive infection, a virus must simultaneously redirect multiple cellular pathways to replicate itself while evading detection by the host's defenses. To orchestrate such complex regulation, viruses, including herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), rely on multifunctional proteins such as the E3 ubiquitin ligase ICP0. This protein regulates various cellular pathways concurrently by targeting a diverse set of cellular factors for degradation. While some of these targets have been previously identified and characterized, we undertook a proteomic screen to identify additional targets of this activity to further characterize ICP0's role during infection. We describe a set of candidate interacting proteins of ICP0 identified through this approach and our characterization of the most statistically significant result, the cellular transcriptional repressor TRIM27. We present TRIM27 as a novel degradation target of ICP0 and describe the relationship of these two proteins during infection.

Identification of molecular heterogeneity in SNX27-retromer-mediated endosome-to-plasma-membrane recycling

Retromer is a protein assembly that orchestrates the sorting of transmembrane cargo proteins into endosome-to-Golgi and endosome-to-plasma-membrane transport pathways. Here, we have employed quantitative proteomics to define the interactome of human VPS35, the core retromer component. This has identified a number of new interacting proteins, including ankyrin-repeat domain 50 (ANKRD50), seriologically defined colon cancer antigen 3 (SDCCAG3) and VPS9-ankyrin-repeat protein (VARP, also known as ANKRD27). Depletion of these proteins resulted in trafficking defects of retromer-dependent cargo, but differential and cargo-specific effects suggested a surprising degree of functional heterogeneity in retromer-mediated endosome-to-plasma-membrane sorting. Extending this, suppression of the retromer-associated WASH complex did not uniformly affect retromer cargo, thereby confirming cargo-specific functions for retromer-interacting proteins. Further analysis of the retromer-VARP interaction identified a role for retromer in endosome-to-melanosome transport. Suppression of VPS35 led to mistrafficking of the melanogenic enzymes, tyrosinase and tryrosine-related protein 1 (Tyrp1), establishing that retromer acts in concert with VARP in this trafficking pathway. Overall, these data reveal hidden complexities in retromer-mediated sorting and open up new directions in our molecular understanding of this essential sorting complex.

Quantitative phosphoproteomics of cytotoxic T cells to reveal protein kinase d 2 regulated networks

The focus of the present study was to characterize the phosphoproteome of cytotoxic T cells and to explore the role of the serine threonine kinase PKD2 (Protein Kinase D2) in the phosphorylation networks of this key lymphocyte population. We used Stable Isotope Labeling of Amino acids in Culture (SILAC) combined with phosphopeptide enrichment and quantitative mass-spectrometry to determine the impact of PKD2 loss on the cytotoxic T cells phosphoproteome. We identified 15,871 phosphorylations on 3505 proteins in cytotoxic T cells. 450 phosphosites on 281 proteins were down-regulated and 300 phosphosites on 196 proteins were up-regulated in PKD2 null cytotoxic T cells. These data give valuable new insights about the protein phosphorylation networks operational in effector T cells and reveal that PKD2 regulates directly and indirectly about 5% of the cytotoxic T-cell phosphoproteome. PKD2 candidate substrates identified in this study include proteins involved in two distinct biological functions: regulation of protein sorting and intracellular vesicle trafficking, and control of chromatin structure, transcription, and translation. In other cell types, PKD substrates include class II histone deacetylases such as HDAC7 and actin regulatory proteins such as Slingshot. The current data show these are not PKD substrates in primary T cells revealing that the functional role of PKD isoforms is different in different cell lineages.

WASH is required for the differentiation commitment of hematopoietic stem cells in a c-Myc-dependent manner

Xia et al. show that WASH deletion breaks the balance that controls self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). WASH assists the NURF complex to the promoter of c-Myc gene, and its loss perturbs LT-HSC differentiation by suppressing the transcriptional activation of c-Myc.

Hematopoiesis is fully dependent on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that possess the capacity to self-renew and differentiate into all blood cell lineages. WASH, Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) and SCAR homologue (WASH) is involved in endosomal sorting as an actin-nucleating protein. Here, we show that conditional WASH deletion in the hematopoietic system causes defective blood production of the host, leading to severe cytopenia and rapid anemia. WASH deficiency causes the accumulation of long-term (LT)-HSCs in bone marrow and perturbs their differentiation potential to mature blood lineages. Importantly, WASH is located in the nucleus of LT-HSCs and associates with the nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) complex. WASH assists the NURF complex to the promoter of c-Myc gene through its VCA domain-dependent nuclear actin nucleation. WASH deletion suppresses the transcriptional activation of c-Myc gene and impairs the differentiation of LT-HSCs. WASH acts as an upstream regulator to modulate c-Myc transcription for hematopoietic regulation.

Ubiquitin proteasome system-mediated degradation of synaptic proteins: An update from the postsynaptic side

The ubiquitin proteasome system is one of the principle mechanisms for the regulation of protein homeostasis in mammalian cells. In dynamic cellular structures such as neuronal synapses, ubiquitin proteasome system and protein translation provide an efficient way for cells to respond promptly to local stimulation and regulate neuroplasticity. The majority of research related to long-term plasticity has been focused on the postsynapses and has shown that ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of specific proteins are involved in various activity-dependent plasticity events. This review summarizes recent achievements in understanding ubiquitination of postsynaptic proteins and its impact on synapse plasticity and discusses the direction for advancing future research in the field.

Retromer binding to FAM21 and the WASH complex is perturbed by the Parkinson disease-linked VPS35(D620N) mutation

Retromer is a protein assembly that plays a central role in orchestrating export of transmembrane-spanning cargo proteins from endosomes into retrieval pathways destined for the Golgi apparatus and the plasma membrane [1]. Recently, a specific mutation in the retromer component VPS35, VPS35(D620N), has linked retromer dysfunction to familial autosomal dominant and sporadic Parkinson disease [2, 3]. However, the effect of this mutation on retromer function remains poorly characterized. Here we established that in cells expressing VPS35(D620N) there is a perturbation in endosome-to-TGN transport but not endosome-to-plasma membrane recycling, which we confirm in patient cells harboring the VPS35(D620N) mutation. Through comparative stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC)-based analysis of wild-type VPS35 versus the VPS35(D620N) mutant interactomes, we establish that the major defect of the D620N mutation lies in the association to the actin-nucleating Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and SCAR homolog (WASH) complex. Moreover, using isothermal calorimetry, we establish that the primary defect of the VPS35(D620N) mutant is a 2.2 ± 0.5-fold decrease in affinity for the WASH complex component FAM21. These data define the primary molecular defect in retromer assembly that arises from the VPS35(D620N) mutation and, by revealing functional effects on retromer-mediated endosome-to-TGN transport, provide new insight into retromer deregulation in Parkinson disease.

Ubiquitin puts actin in its place

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Yuan et al. (2014) report that the Cul3-KLHL20 E3 ubiquitin ligase regulates protein anterograde transport from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) by facilitating localized actin assembly at the TGN through K33-linked ubiquitination of coronin 7.

USP8 controls the trafficking and sorting of lysosomal enzymes

The endosomal deubiquitylase USP8 has profound effects on endosomal morphology and organisation. Previous reports have proposed both positive (EGFR, MET) and negative roles in the down-regulation of receptors (Frizzled, Smoothened). Here we report an additional influence of USP8 on the retromer-dependent shuttling of ci-M6PR between the sorting endosome and biosynthetic pathway. Depletion of USP8 leads to a steady state redistribution of ci-M6PR from the Trans-Golgi Network (TGN) to endosomal compartments. Consequently we observe a defect in sorting of lysosomal enzymes, evidenced by increased levels of unprocessed Cathepsin D, which is secreted into the medium. The normal distribution of receptor can be restored by expression of siRNA-resistant USP8 but not by a catalytically inactive mutant or a truncated form, lacking a MIT domain required for endosomal localisation. We suggest that effects of USP8 depletion may reflect the loss of ESCRT-0 components which associate with retromer components Vps35 and SNX1, whilst failure to efficiently deliver lysosomal enzymes may also contribute to the observed block in receptor tyrosine kinase degradation.

Dendritic cells utilize the evolutionarily conserved WASH and retromer complexes to promote MHCII recycling and helper T cell priming

Immature dendritic cells (DCs) maintain a highly dynamic pool of recycling MHCII that promotes sampling of environmental antigens for presentation to T helper cells. However, the molecular basis of MHCII recycling and the cellular machinery that orchestrates MHCII trafficking are incompletely understood. Using a mouse model we show that WASH, an actin regulatory protein that facilitates retromer function, is essential for MHCII recycling and efficient priming of T helper cells. We further demonstrate that WASH deficiency results in impaired MHCII surface levels, recycling, and an accumulation of polyubiquitinated MHCII complexes, which are subsequently slated for premature lysosomal degradation. Consequently, conditional deletion of the Wash gene in DCs impairs priming of both conventional and autoimmune T helper cells in vivo and attenuates disease progression in a model of experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE). Thus, we identify a novel mechanism in which DCs employ the evolutionarily conserved WASH and retromer complex for MHCII recycling in order to regulate T helper cell priming.

Function and regulation of the endosomal fusion and fission machineries

Organelles within the endomembrane system are connected via vesicle flux. Along the endocytic pathway, endosomes are among the most versatile organelles. They sort cargo through tubular protrusions for recycling or through intraluminal vesicles for degradation. Sorting involves numerous machineries, which mediate fission of endosomal transport intermediates and fusion with other endosomes or eventually with lysosomes. Here we review the recent advances in our understanding of these processes with a particular focus on the Rab GTPases, tethering factors, and retromer. The cytoskeleton has also been recently recognized as a central player in membrane dynamics of endosomes, and this review covers the regulation of the machineries that govern the formation of branched actin networks through the WASH and Arp2/3 complexes in relation with cargo recycling and endosomal fission.

Retromer: a master conductor of endosome sorting

The endosomal network comprises an interconnected network of membranous compartments whose primary function is to receive, dissociate, and sort cargo that originates from the plasma membrane and the biosynthetic pathway. A major challenge in cell biology is to achieve a thorough molecular description of how this network operates, and in so doing, how defects contribute to the etiology and pathology of human disease. We discuss the increasing body of evidence that implicates an ancient evolutionary conserved complex, termed "retromer," as a master conductor in the complex orchestration of multiple cargo-sorting events within the endosomal network.

Ubiquitin-dependent sorting in endocytosis

When ubiquitin (Ub) is attached to membrane proteins on the plasma membrane, it directs them through a series of sorting steps that culminate in their delivery to the lumen of the lysosome where they undergo complete proteolysis. Ubiquitin is recognized by a series of complexes that operate at a number of vesicle transport steps. Ubiquitin serves as a sorting signal for internalization at the plasma membrane and is the major signal for incorporation into intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular late endosomes. The sorting machineries that catalyze these steps can bind Ub via a variety of Ub-binding domains. At the same time, many of these complexes are themselves ubiquitinated, thus providing a plethora of potential mechanisms to regulate their activity. Here we provide an overview of how membrane proteins are selected for ubiquitination and deubiquitination within the endocytic pathway and how that ubiquitin signal is interpreted by endocytic sorting machineries.

The ubiquitin ligase RNF126 regulates the retrograde sorting of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor

The ubiquitin proteasome system is central to the regulation of a number of intracellular sorting pathways in mammalian cells including quality control at the endoplasmic reticulum and the internalization and endosomal sorting of cell surface receptors. Here we describe that RNF126, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is involved in the sorting of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR). In cells transiently depleted of RNF126, the CI-MPR is dispersed into Rab4 positive endosomes and the efficiency of retrograde sorting is delayed. Furthermore, the stable knockdown of RNF126 leads to the lysosomal degradation of CI-MPR and missorting of cathepsin D. RNF126 specifically regulates the sorting of the CI-MPR as other cargo that follow the retrograde sorting route including the cholera toxin, furin and TGN38 are unaffected in the absence of RNF126. Lastly we show that the RING finger domain of RNF126 is required to rescue the decrease in CI-MPR levels, suggesting that the ubiquitin ligase activity of RNF126 is required for CI-MPR sorting. Together, our data indicate that the ubiquitin ligase RNF126 has a role in the retrograde sorting of the CI-MPR.

Retromer-mediated endosomal protein sorting: all WASHed up!

Endosomal protein sorting governs the fate of many physiologically important proteins involved in a panoply of cellular functions. Recent discoveries have revealed a vital role for endosomally localised branched actin patches in facilitating protein sorting. The formation of the actin patches has been shown to require the function of the WASH complex - the major endosomal actin polymerisation-promoting complex - which stimulates the activity of the ubiquitously expressed Arp2/3 complex. Another key component of the endosomal protein-sorting machinery is the retromer complex. Studies now show that retromer mediates the recruitment of the WASH complex and its regulators to endosomes. In this review, recent progress in understanding the role of the WASH complex along with retromer in endosomal protein sorting is discussed.

The WASH complex, an endosomal Arp2/3 activator, interacts with the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome complex BLOC-1 and its cargo phosphatidylinositol-4-kinase type IIα

The WASH complex, an endosomal activator of the Arp2/3 complex involved in branched actin polymerization, is identified as a new factor in vesicle traffic mediated by the Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome complex BLOC-1.

Vesicle biogenesis machinery components such as coat proteins can interact with the actin cytoskeleton for cargo sorting into multiple pathways. It is unknown, however, whether these interactions are a general requirement for the diverse endosome traffic routes. In this study, we identify actin cytoskeleton regulators as previously unrecognized interactors of complexes associated with the Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome. Two complexes mutated in the Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome, adaptor protein complex-3 and biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1 (BLOC-1), interact with and are regulated by the lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol-4-kinase type IIα (PI4KIIα). We therefore hypothesized that PI4KIIα interacts with novel regulators of these complexes. To test this hypothesis, we immunoaffinity purified PI4KIIα from isotope-labeled cell lysates to quantitatively identify interactors. Strikingly, PI4KIIα isolation preferentially coenriched proteins that regulate the actin cytoskeleton, including guanine exchange factors for Rho family GTPases such as RhoGEF1 and several subunits of the WASH complex. We biochemically confirmed several of these PI4KIIα interactions. Of importance, BLOC-1 complex, WASH complex, RhoGEF1, or PI4KIIα depletions altered the content and/or subcellular distribution of the BLOC-1–sensitive cargoes PI4KIIα, ATP7A, and VAMP7. We conclude that the Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome complex BLOC-1 and its cargo PI4KIIα interact with regulators of the actin cytoskeleton.