Maintenance of Golgi structure and function depends on the integrity of ER export

The function of the intermediate compartment in pre-Golgi trafficking involves its stable connection with the centrosome

Because the functional borders of the intermediate compartment (IC) are not well defined, the spatial map of the transport machineries operating between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus remains incomplete. Our previous studies showed that the IC consists of interconnected vacuolar and tubular parts with specific roles in pre-Golgi trafficking. Here, using live cell imaging, we demonstrate that the tubules containing the GTPase Rab1A create a long-lived membrane compartment around the centrosome. Separation of this pericentrosomal domain of the IC from the Golgi ribbon, due to centrosome motility, revealed that it contains a distinct pool of COPI coats and acts as a temperature-sensitive way station in post-ER trafficking. However, unlike the Golgi, the pericentrosomal IC resists the disassembly of COPI coats by brefeldin A, maintaining its juxtaposition with the endocytic recycling compartment, and operation as the focal point of a dynamic tubular network that extends to the cell periphery. These results provide novel insight into the compartmental organization of the secretory pathway and Golgi biogenesis. Moreover, they reveal a direct functional connection between the IC and the endosomal system, which evidently contributes to unconventional transport of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator to the cell surface.

Coatomer-dependent protein delivery to lipid droplets

Lipid droplets (LDs) are cytoplasmic organelles that store neutral lipids for use as an energy supply in times of nutrient deprivation and for membrane assembly. Misregulation of LD function leads to many human diseases, including lipodystrophy, obesity and neutral lipid storage disorders. A number of proteins have been shown to localize to the surface of lipid droplets, including lipases such as adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and the PAT-domain proteins ADRP (adipophilin) and TIP47, but the mechanism by which they are targeted to LDs is not known. Here we demonstrate that ATGL and ADRP, but not TIP47, are delivered to LDs by a pathway mediated by the COPI and COPII coatomer proteins and their corresponding regulators.

A novel endoplasmic reticulum export signal: proline at the +2-position from the signal peptide cleavage site

NUCB1 (nucleobindin 1) is a Golgi-localized soluble protein with a signal peptide and multiple functional domains. We reported recently that NUCB1 is a negative regulator of the unfolded protein response that activates various endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-originating signaling pathways. In that report, we also showed that Golgi localization of NUCB1 was essential to regulate the unfolded protein response. However, the localization mechanism of NUCB1 is still unknown. Here, we report that the proline residue at the +2-position (Pro(+2)) from the signal peptide cleavage site is the determinant of NUCB1 protein export from the ER and subsequent transport to the Golgi. Fusion of the N-terminal amino acids 1-35 peptide region, including both signal peptide (amino acids 1-26) and Pro(+2), was sufficient for enhanced green fluorescent protein to localize in the Golgi, whereas single amino acid mutation of Pro(+2) resulted in defective export from the ER without affecting the protein maturation process. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Pro(+2) was important for the enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion protein to concentrate at a transport vesicle formation site within the ER, often termed the ER exit site. Interestingly, such a Pro(+2) has also been functionally conserved in other Golgi-localized soluble proteins, Cab45 (Ca(2+)-binding protein of 45 kDa), reticulocalbin 1, and calumenin. Our findings indicate that Pro(+2) can function as a novel ER export signal of some Golgi proteins.

mTrs130 is a component of a mammalian TRAPPII complex, a Rab1 GEF that binds to COPI-coated vesicles

The GTPase Rab1 regulates endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi and early Golgi traffic. The guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) or factors that activate Rab1 at these stages of the secretory pathway are currently unknown. Trs130p is a subunit of the yeast TRAPPII (transport protein particle II) complex, a multisubunit tethering complex that is a GEF for the Rab1 homologue Ypt1p. Here, we show that mammalian Trs130 (mTrs130) is a component of an analogous TRAPP complex in mammalian cells, and we describe for the first time the role that this complex plays in membrane traffic. mTRAPPII is enriched on COPI (Coat Protein I)-coated vesicles and buds, but not Golgi cisternae, and it specifically activates Rab1. In addition, we find that mTRAPPII binds to gamma1COP, a COPI coat adaptor subunit. The depletion of mTrs130 by short hairpin RNA leads to an increase of vesicles in the vicinity of the Golgi and the accumulation of cargo in an early Golgi compartment. We propose that mTRAPPII is a Rab1 GEF that tethers COPI-coated vesicles to early Golgi membranes.

Homotypic fusion of ER membranes requires the dynamin-like GTPase atlastin

Establishment and maintenance of proper architecture is essential for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function. Homotypic membrane fusion is required for ER biogenesis and maintenance, and has been shown to depend on GTP hydrolysis. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Atlastin--the fly homologue of the mammalian GTPase atlastin 1 involved in hereditary spastic paraplegia--localizes on ER membranes and that its loss causes ER fragmentation. Drosophila Atlastin embedded in distinct membranes has the ability to form trans-oligomeric complexes and its overexpression induces enlargement of ER profiles, consistent with excessive fusion of ER membranes. In vitro experiments confirm that Atlastin autonomously drives membrane fusion in a GTP-dependent fashion. In contrast, GTPase-deficient Atlastin is inactive, unable to form trans-oligomeric complexes owing to failure to self-associate, and incapable of promoting fusion in vitro. These results demonstrate that Atlastin mediates membrane tethering and fusion and strongly suggest that it is the GTPase activity that is required for ER homotypic fusion.

The MAL proteolipid restricts detergent-mediated membrane pore expansion and percolation

Differential solubilization of membrane components by cold 1% Triton X-100 extraction is common practice in cell biology and membrane research, used to define components of, or localization within membrane domains called lipid rafts. In this study, extraction of biological membranes was continuously monitored in single cells by confocal microscopy. The distributions of fluorescently-tagged proteins that label raft and non-raft membranes, cytosolic and cytoskeletal proteins were continuously monitored upon addition of the detergent. Membranes containing the non-raft membrane protein VSVG-GFP were immediately extracted from the plasma membrane, whereas raft-membrane proteins were predominantly resistant to the detergent. The morphological characteristics of differential membrane solubilization consisted of the formation of pores that expand and percolate as the detergent-mediated solubilization proceeds. Pore expansion and percolation was much slower and more restricted in non-polarized MDCK cells than in COS-7 cells. Heterologous overexpression in COS-7 cells of the fluorescently-tagged human MAL, a tetra-spanning, lipid-raft-associated protein, significantly slowed and limited membrane pore expansion and percolation. Extensive percolation resulting in large holes in the membrane was observed for the raft-associated, GPI-GFP-labeled membranes in COS-7 cells. Quantitative analysis carried out using pixel intensity variance as an indicator of membrane pore expansion demonstrated that the MAL protein is capable of modifying the plasma membrane, thereby increasing its resistance to detergent-induced pore formation.

Organelle tethering by a homotypic PDZ interaction underlies formation of the Golgi membrane network

Formation of the ribbon-like membrane network of the Golgi apparatus depends on GM130 and GRASP65, but the mechanism is unknown. We developed an in vivo organelle tethering assaying in which GRASP65 was targeted to the mitochondrial outer membrane either directly or via binding to GM130. Mitochondria bearing GRASP65 became tethered to one another, and this depended on a GRASP65 PDZ domain that was also required for GRASP65 self-interaction. Point mutation within the predicted binding groove of the GRASP65 PDZ domain blocked both tethering and, in a gene replacement assay, Golgi ribbon formation. Tethering also required proximate membrane anchoring of the PDZ domain, suggesting a mechanism that orientates the PDZ binding groove to favor interactions in trans. Thus, a homotypic PDZ interaction mediates organelle tethering in living cells.

Yip1A regulates the COPI-independent retrograde transport from the Golgi complex to the ER

Yip1A, a mammalian homologue of yeast Yip1p, is a multi-spanning membrane protein that is considered to be involved in transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi. However, the precise role of Yip1A in mammalian cells remains unclear. We show here that endogenous Yip1A is localized to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Knockdown of Yip1A by RNAi did not induce morphological changes in the Golgi, ER, or ERGIC. By analyzing a number of intracellular transport pathways, we found that Yip1A knockdown delayed the transport of Shiga toxin from the Golgi to the ER, but did not affect the anterograde transport of VSVGts045. We also found that a recombinant protein that corresponded to the N-terminal domain of Yip1A inhibited the COPI-independent retrograde transport of GFP-tagged galactosyltransferase, GT-GFP, but not the COPI-dependent retrograde transport of p58/ERGIC53. Furthermore, we found that Yip1A knockdown resulted in the dissociation of Rab6 from the membranes. These results suggested that Yip1A has a role in COPI-independent retrograde transport from the Golgi to the ER and regulates the membrane recruitment of Rab6.

The length of cargo-protein transmembrane segments drives secretory transport by facilitating cargo concentration in export domains

The cellular destination of secretory proteins is determined by interactions of their targeting motifs with coat-protein complexes. The transmembrane domain (TMD) of secretory proteins also plays a central role in their transport and targeting. However, a comprehensive model that considers both TMD- and targeting-sequence-mediated transport has never been advanced. We focused on the secretory transport of two fluorescently tagged membrane proteins: vesicular stomatitis virus G tsO45 (VSVG), which is a cargo protein that is a thermoreversible mutant, and the Golgi-resident protein GalT-CFP. A quantitative approach was applied to analyze, in living cells, secretory transport dynamics, as well as cargo concentration of YFP-tagged VSVG mutants with one, three, five, seven, eight or nine amino acids deleted from their TMD, as well as two or four amino acids added to their TMD. Changes in TMD length affected secretory transport dynamics and the extent of cargo concentration in the ER exit sites, demonstrating that the capacity of the transport machinery to concentrate cargo depends on the length of the TMD of the cargo protein.

Dendritic assembly of heteromeric gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunits in hippocampal neurons

Understanding the mechanisms that control synaptic efficacy through the availability of neurotransmitter receptors depends on uncovering their specific intracellular trafficking routes. gamma-Aminobutyric acid type B (GABA(B)) receptors (GABA(B)Rs) are obligatory heteromers present at dendritic excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic sites. It is unknown whether synthesis and assembly of GABA(B)Rs occur in the somatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) followed by vesicular transport to dendrites or whether somatic synthesis is followed by independent transport of the subunits for assembly and ER export throughout the somatodendritic compartment. To discriminate between these possibilities we studied the association of GABA(B)R subunits in dendrites of hippocampal neurons combining live fluorescence microscopy, biochemistry, quantitative colocalization, and bimolecular fluorescent complementation. We demonstrate that GABA(B)R subunits are segregated and differentially mobile in dendritic intracellular compartments and that a high proportion of non-associated intracellular subunits exist in the brain. Assembled heteromers are preferentially located at the plasma membrane, but blockade of ER exit results in their intracellular accumulation in the cell body and dendrites. We propose that GABA(B)R subunits assemble in the ER and are exported from the ER throughout the neuron prior to insertion at the plasma membrane. Our results are consistent with a bulk flow of segregated subunits through the ER and rule out a post-Golgi vesicular transport of preassembled GABA(B)Rs.

Role of syntaxin 18 in the organization of endoplasmic reticulum subdomains

The presence of subdomains in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) enables this organelle to perform a variety of functions, yet the mechanisms underlying their organization are poorly understood. In the present study, we show that syntaxin 18, a SNAP (soluble NSF attachment protein) receptor localized in the ER, is important for the organization of two ER subdomains, smooth/rough ER membranes and ER exit sites. Knockdown of syntaxin 18 caused a global change in ER membrane architecture, leading to the segregation of the smooth and rough ER. Furthermore, the organization of ER exit sites was markedly changed concomitantly with dispersion of the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment and the Golgi complex. These morphological changes in the ER were substantially recovered by treatment of syntaxin-18-depleted cells with brefeldin A, a reagent that stimulates retrograde membrane flow to the ER. These results suggest that syntaxin 18 has an important role in ER subdomain organization by mediating the fusion of retrograde membrane carriers with the ER membrane.

Pharmacochaperone-mediated rescue of calcium-sensing receptor loss-of-function mutants

The calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is a Family C/3 G protein-coupled receptor that translates changes in extracellular Ca(2+) into diverse intracellular signals. Loss-of-function mutations in human CaSR cause familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia and neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism. CaSR must navigate a number of endoplasmic reticulum quality control checkpoints during biosynthesis, including a conformational/functional checkpoint. Here we examine the biosynthesis of 25 CaSR mutations causing familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia /neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism using immunoprecipitation, biotinylation, and functional assays. We define classes of CaSR mutants based on their biosynthetic profile. Class I CaSR mutants are not rescued to the plasma membrane. To dissect the organellar compartments that class I mutants can access, we engineered a cleavage site for the proprotein convertase furin into the extracellular domain of wild-type CaSR and class I mutants. Based on absence or presence of cleavage fragments, we find most mutants are degraded from the endoplasmic reticulum (no furin-mediated cleavage), whereas others access the Golgi (furin-mediated cleavage) before degradation. Class II CaSR mutants show increased expression and/or enhanced plasma membrane localization upon treatment with MG132 or the pharmacochaperone NPS R-568, permitting assay of functional activity. Of the 10 CaSR mutants that exhibit plasma membrane localization, only two did not show enhanced functional activity after rescue with NPS R-568. The established approaches can be used with current and newly identified CaSR mutations to identify the location of biosynthetic block and to determine the likelihood of rescue by allosteric agonists.

Dynamic organization of COPII coat proteins at endoplasmic reticulum export sites in plant cells

Protein export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is mediated by the accumulation of COPII proteins such as Sar1, Sec23/24 and Sec13/31 at specialized ER export sites (ERES). Although the distribution of COPII components in mammalian and yeast systems is established, a unified model of ERES dynamics has yet to be presented in plants. To investigate this, we have followed the dynamics of fluorescent fusions to inner and outer components of the coat, AtSec24 and AtSec13, in three different plant model systems: tobacco and Arabidopsis leaf epidermis, as well as tobacco BY-2 suspension cells. In leaves, AtSec24 accumulated at Golgi-associated ERES, whereas AtSec13 showed higher levels of cytosolic staining compared with AtSec24. However, in BY-2 cells, both AtSec13 and AtSec24 labelled Golgi-associated ERES, along with AtSec24. To correlate the distribution of the COPII coat with the dynamics of organelle movement, quantitative live-cell imaging analyses demonstrated that AtSec24 and AtSec13 maintained a constant association with Golgi-associated ERES, irrespective of their velocity. However, recruitment of AtSec24 and AtSec13 to ERES, as well as the number of ERES marked by these proteins, was influenced by export of membrane cargo proteins from the ER to the Golgi. Additionally, the increased availability of AtSec24 affected the distribution of AtSec13, inducing recruitment of this outer COPII coat component to ERES. These results provide a model that, in plants, protein export from the ER occurs via sequential recruitment of inner and outer COPII components to form transport intermediates at mobile, Golgi-associated ERES.

STAM adaptor proteins interact with COPII complexes and function in ER-to-Golgi trafficking

Signal-transducing adaptor molecules (STAMs) are involved in growth factor and cytokine signaling as well as receptor degradation, and they form complexes with a number of endocytic proteins, including Hrs and Eps15. In this study, we demonstrate that STAM proteins also localize prominently to early exocytic compartments and profoundly regulate Golgi morphology. Upon STAM overexpression in cells, the Golgi apparatus becomes extensively fragmented and dispersed, but when STAMs are depleted, the Golgi becomes highly condensed. Under both scenarios, vesicular stomatitis virus G protein-green fluorescent protein trafficking to the plasma membrane is markedly inhibited, and recovery of Golgi morphology after Brefeldin A treatment is substantially impaired in STAM-depleted cells. Furthermore, STAM proteins interact with coat protein II (COPII) proteins, probably at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites, and Sar1 activity is required to maintain the localization of STAMs at discrete sites. Thus, in addition to their roles in signaling and endocytosis, STAMs function prominently in ER-to-Golgi trafficking, most likely through direct interactions with the COPII complex.

A novel small molecule regulator of guanine nucleotide exchange activity of the ADP-ribosylation factor and golgi membrane trafficking

An image-based phenotypic screen was developed to identify small molecule regulators of intracellular traffic. Using this screen we found that AG1478, a previously known inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor, had epidermal growth factor receptor-independent activity in inducing the disassembly of the Golgi in human cells. Similar to brefeldin A (BFA), a known disrupter of the Golgi, AG1478 inhibits the activity of small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor. Unlike BFA, AG1478 exhibits low cytotoxicity and selectively targets the cis-Golgi without affecting endosomal compartment. We show that AG1478 inhibits GBF1, a large nucleotide exchange factor for the ADP-ribosylation factor, in a Sec7 domain-dependent manner and mimics the phenotype of a GBF1 mutant that has an inactive mutation. The treatment with AG1478 leads to the recruitment of GBF1 to the vesicular-tubular clusters adjacent to the endoplasmic reticulum exit sites, a step only transiently observed previously in the presence of BFA. We propose that the treatment with AG1478 delineates a membrane trafficking intermediate step that depends upon the Sec7 domain.

The membrane dynamics of pexophagy are influenced by Sar1p in Pichia pastoris

Several Sec proteins including a guanosine diphosphate/guanosine triphosphate exchange factor for Sar1p have been implicated in autophagy. In this study, we investigated the role of Sar1p in pexophagy by expressing dominant-negative mutant forms of Sar1p in Pichia pastoris. When expressing sar1pT34N or sar1pH79G, starvation-induced autophagy, glucose-induced micropexophagy, and ethanol-induced macropexophagy are dramatically suppressed. These Sar1p mutants did not affect the initiation or expansion of the sequestering membranes nor the trafficking of Atg11p and Atg9p to these membranes during micropexophagy. However, the lipidation of Atg8p and assembly of the micropexophagic membrane apparatus, which are essential to complete the incorporation of the peroxisomes into the degradative vacuole, were inhibited when either Sar1p mutant protein was expressed. During macropexophagy, the expression of sar1pT34N inhibited the formation of the pexophagosome, whereas sar1pH79G suppressed the delivery of the peroxisome from the pexophagosome to the vacuole. The pexophagosome contained Atg8p in wild-type cells, but in cells expressing sar1pH79G these organelles contain both Atg8p and endoplasmic reticulum components as visualized by DsRFP-HDEL. Our results demonstrate key roles for Sar1p in both micro- and macropexophagy.

Rab18 and Rab43 have key roles in ER-Golgi trafficking

Rabs and Arfs/Arls are Ras-related small GTPases of particular relevance to membrane trafficking. It is thought that these proteins regulate specific pathways through interactions with coat, motor, tether and SNARE proteins. We screened a comprehensive list of Arf/Arl/Rab proteins, previously identified on purified Golgi membranes by a proteomics approach (37 in total), for Golgi or intra-Golgi localization, dominant-negative and overexpression phenotypes. Further analysis of two of these proteins, Rab18 and Rab43, strongly indicated roles in ER-Golgi trafficking. Rab43-T32N redistributed Golgi elements to ER exit sites without blocking trafficking of the secretory marker VSVG-GFP from ER to cell surface. Wild-type Rab43 redistributes the p150Glued subunit of dynactin, consistent with a specific role in regulating association of pre-Golgi intermediates with microtubules. Overexpression of wild-type GFP-Rab18 or incubation with any of three siRNAs directed against Rab18 severely disrupts the Golgi complex and reduces secretion of VSVG. Rab18 mutants specifically enhance retrograde Golgi-ER transport of the COPI-independent cargo β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (Galtase)-YFP but not the COPI-dependent cargo p58-YFP from the Golgi to ER in a photobleach assay. Rab18-S22N also potentiated brefeldin-A-induced ER-Golgi fusion. This study is the first comprehensive application of large-scale proteomics to the cell biology of small GTPases of the secretory pathway.

Plasmodium falciparumpossesses two GRASP proteins that are differentially targeted to the Golgi complex via a higher- and lower-eukaryote-like mechanism

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, relies on a complex protein-secretion system for protein targeting into numerous subcellular destinations. Recently, a homologue of the Golgi re-assembly stacking protein (GRASP) was identified and used to characterise the Golgi organisation in this parasite. Here, we report on the presence of a splice variant that leads to the expression of a GRASP isoform. Although the first GRASP protein (GRASP1) relies on a well-conserved myristoylation motif, the variant (GRASP2) displays a different N-terminus, similar to GRASPs found in fungi. Phylogenetic analyses between GRASP proteins of numerous taxa point to an independent evolution of the unusual N-terminus that could reflect unique requirements for Golgi-dependent protein sorting and organelle biogenesis in P. falciparum. Golgi association of GRASP2 depends on the hydrophobic N-terminus that resembles a signal anchor, leading to a unique mode of Golgi targeting and membrane attachment.

Insulin regulates leptin secretion from 3T3-L1 adipocytes by a PI 3 kinase independent mechanism

To better define the molecular mechanisms underlying leptin release from adipocytes, we developed a novel protocol that maximizes leptin production from 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The addition of a PPARgamma agonist to the Isobutylmethylxanthine/Dexamethasone/Insulin differentiation cocktail increased leptin mRNA levels by 5-fold, maintained insulin sensitivity, and yielded mature phenotype in cultured adipocytes. Under these conditions, acute insulin stimulation for 2 h induced a two-fold increase in leptin secretion, which was independent of new protein synthesis, and was not due to alterations in glucose metabolism. Stimulation with insulin for 15 min induced the same level of leptin release and was blocked by Brefeldin A. Inhibiting PI 3-kinase with wortmannin had no effect on insulin stimulation of leptin secretion. These studies show that insulin can stimulate leptin release via a PI3K independent mechanism and provide a cellular system for studying the effect of insulin and potentially other mediators on leptin secretion.

The plant ER-Golgi interface

The interface between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus is a critical junction in the secretory pathway mediating the transport of both soluble and membrane cargo between the two organelles. Such transport can be bidirectional and is mediated by coated membranes. In this review, we consider the organization and dynamics of this interface in plant cells, the putative structure of which has caused some controversy in the literature, and we speculate on the stages of Golgi biogenesis from the ER and the role of the Golgi and ER on each other's motility.

Scyl1, mutated in a recessive form of spinocerebellar neurodegeneration, regulates COPI-mediated retrograde traffic

Scy1-like 1 (Scyl1), a member of the Scy1-like family of catalytically inactive protein kinases, was recently identified as the gene product altered in muscle-deficient mice, which suffer from motor neuron degeneration and cerebellar atrophy. To determine the function of Scyl1, we have now used a mass spectrometry-based screen to search for Scyl1-binding partners and identified components of coatomer I (COPI) coats. The interaction was confirmed in pull-down assays, and Scyl1 co-immunoprecipitates with betaCOP from brain lysates. Interestingly, and unique for a non-transmembrane domain protein, Scyl1 binds COPI coats using a C-terminal RKLD-COO(-) sequence, similar to the KKXX-COO(-) COPI-binding motif found in transmembrane endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins. Scyl1 co-localizes with betaCOP and is localized, in an Arf1-independent manner, to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment and the cis-Golgi, sites of COPI-mediated membrane budding. The localization and binding properties of Scyl1 strongly suggest a function in COPI transport, and inhibitory RNA-mediated knock down of the protein disrupts COPI-mediated retrograde traffic of the KDEL receptor to the ER without affecting anterograde traffic from the ER. Our data demonstrate a function for Scyl1 as an accessory factor in COPI trafficking and suggest for the first time that alterations in the COPI pathway result in neurodegenerative disease.

Mouse hepatitis coronavirus RNA replication depends on GBF1-mediated ARF1 activation

Coronaviruses induce in infected cells the formation of double membrane vesicles, which are the sites of RNA replication. Not much is known about the formation of these vesicles, although recent observations indicate an important role for the endoplasmic reticulum in the formation of the mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) replication complexes (RCs). We now show that MHV replication is sensitive to brefeldin A (BFA). Consistently, expression of a dominant-negative mutant of ARF1, known to mimic the action of the drug, inhibited MHV infection profoundly. Immunofluorescence analysis and quantitative electron microscopy demonstrated that BFA did not block the formation of RCs per se, but rather reduced their number. MHV RNA replication was not sensitive to BFA in MDCK cells, which are known to express the BFA-resistant guanine nucleotide exchange factor GBF1. Accordingly, individual knockdown of the Golgi-resident targets of BFA by transfection of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) showed that GBF1, but not BIG1 or BIG2, was critically involved in MHV RNA replication. ARF1, the cellular effector of GBF1, also appeared to be involved in MHV replication, as siRNAs targeting this small GTPase inhibited MHV infection significantly. Collectively, our results demonstrate that GBF1-mediated ARF1 activation is required for efficient MHV RNA replication and reveal that the early secretory pathway and MHV replication complex formation are closely connected.

Coronaviruses are the causative agents of many respiratory and enteric infections in humans and animals. As with all viruses, virtually all of the steps of their infection cycle depend on host cellular factors. As the first and most crucial step after their entry into cells, coronaviruses assemble their replication complexes (RCs) in association with characteristic, newly induced membranous structures. The cellular pathways hijacked by these plus-strand RNA viruses to create these “factories” have not been elucidated. Here, we study the involvement of the secretory pathway in mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) replication by using the drug brefeldin A (BFA), which is known to interfere with ER–Golgi membrane traffic by inhibiting the activation of ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) small GTPases. Our observations show that MHV RNA replication is sensitive to BFA. In agreement herewith we demonstrate, by using various techniques, that the BFA-sensitive guanidine nucleotide exchange factor GBF1 and its downstream effector ARF1 are of critical importance for coronavirus replication. From our results we conclude that MHV RNA replication depends on GBF1-mediated ARF1 activation. Our study provides new insights into the close connection between MHV replication and the early secretory pathway.

Imaging the Golgi apparatus in living mitotic cells

Live-cell imaging is a powerful tool which allows the observation of dynamic cellular processes while maintaining the native organization of the cell. Its advantages over other methods that disrupt cell integrity are abundantly evident in the study of cell division, where multiple subcellular organelles and molecules are involved in dynamic, spatio-temporally regulated processes such as Golgi and nuclear envelope disassembly/reassembly, spindle apparatus formation, chromosome condensation and segregation, and cytoplasmic division. This chapter will describe practical methods for cell synchronization, selection of fluorescent markers for transfection, and setting up imaging conditions and microscope parameters for acquiring time-lapse images of the Golgi apparatus in mitotic cells. These are general methods that can be applied to the study of many different types of organelles and molecules in dividing cells.

Plant Sar1 isoforms with near-identical protein sequences exhibit different localisations and effects on secretion

In plants, differentiation of subdomains of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dedicated to protein export, the ER export sites (ERES), is influenced by the type of export-competent membrane cargo to be delivered to the Golgi. This raises a fundamental biological question: is the formation of transport intermediates at the ER for trafficking to the Golgi always regulated in the same manner? To test this, we followed the distribution and activity of two plant Sar1 isoforms. Sar1 is the small GTPase that regulates assembly of COPII (coat protein complex II) on carriers that transport secretory cargo from ER to Golgi. We show that, in contrast to a tobacco Sar1 isoform, the two Arabidopsis Sar1 GTPases were localised at ERES, independently of co-expression of Golgi-destined membrane cargo in tobacco cells. Although both isoforms labelled ERES, one was found to partition with the membrane fraction to a greater extent. The different distribution of fluorescent fusions of the two isoforms was influenced by the nature of an amino acid residue at the C-terminus of the protein, suggesting that the requirements for membrane association of the two GTPases are not equal. Furthermore, functional analyses based on the secretion of the bulk flow marker alpha-amylase indicated that over-expression of GTP-restricted mutants of the two isoforms caused different levels of ER export inhibition. These novel results indicate a functional heterogeneity among plant Sar1 isoforms.

Calsenilin and CALP interact with the cytoplasmic tail of UDP-Gal:GA2/GM2/GD2 beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase

GalT2 (UDP-Gal:GA2/GM2/GD2 beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase) is a Golgi-resident type II membrane protein that participates in the synthesis of glycosphingolipids. The molecular determinants for traffic and localization of this and other glycosyltransferases are still poorly characterized. Considering the possibility that interactions with other proteins may influence these processes, in the present study we carried out a yeast two-hybrid screening using elements of the N-terminal domain of GalT2 as bait. In this screening, we identified calsenilin and its close homologue CALP (calsenilin-like protein), both members of the recoverin-NCS (neuronal calcium sensor) family of calcium-binding proteins. In vitro, GalT2 binds to immobilized recombinant CALP, and CALP binds to immobilized peptides with the GalT2 cytoplasmic tail sequence. GalT2 and calsenilin interact physically when co-expressed in CHO (Chinese-hamster ovary)-K1 cells. The expression of CALP or calsenilin affect Golgi localization of GalT2, and of two other glycosyltransferases, SialT2 (CMP-NeuAc:GM3 sialyltransferase) and GalNAcT (UDP-GalNAc:lactosylceramide/GM3/GD3 beta1-4 N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase), by redistributing them from the Golgi to the ER (endoplasmic reticulum), whereas the localization of the VSV-G (G-protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus) or the Golgin GM130 was essentially unaffected. Conversely, the expression of GalT2 affects the localization of calsenilin and CALP by shifting a fraction of the molecules from being mostly diffuse in the cytosol, to clustered structures in the perinuclear region. These combined in vivo and in vitro results suggest that CALP and calsenilin are involved in the trafficking of Golgi glycosyltransferases.

Simulated de novo assembly of golgi compartments by selective cargo capture during vesicle budding and targeted vesicle fusion

The Golgi apparatus is comprised of stacked cisternal membranes forming subcompartments specialized for posttranslational processing of newly synthesized secretory cargo. Recent experimental evidence indicates that the Golgi apparatus can undergo de novo biogenesis from the endoplasmic reticulum, but the mechanism by which the membranes self assemble into compartmentalized structures remains unknown. We developed a discrete-event computer simulation model to test whether two fundamental mechanisms-vesicle-coat-mediated selective concentration of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins during vesicle formation, and SNARE-mediated selective fusion of vesicles-suffice to generate and maintain compartments. Simulations verified that this minimal model is adequate for homeostasis of preestablished compartments, even in response to small perturbations, and for de novo formation of stable compartments. The model led to a novel prediction that Golgi size is in part dependent on target SNARE expression level. This prediction was supported by a demonstration that exogenous expression of the Golgi target SNARE syntaxin-5 alters Golgi size in living cells.

Coat-tether interaction in Golgi organization

Biogenesis of the Golgi apparatus is likely mediated by the COPI vesicle coat complex, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Modeling of the COPI subunit betaCOP based on the clathrin adaptor AP2 suggested that the betaCOP C terminus forms an appendage domain with a conserved FW binding pocket motif. On gene replacement after knockdown, versions of betaCOP with a mutated FW motif or flanking basic residues yielded a defect in Golgi organization reminiscent of that occurring in the absence of the vesicle tether p115. Indeed, betaCOP bound p115, and this depended on the betaCOP FW motif. Furthermore, the interaction depended on E(19)E(21) in the p115 head domain and inverse charge substitution blocked Golgi biogenesis in intact cells. Finally, Golgi assembly in permeabilized cells was significantly reduced by inhibitors containing intact, but not mutated, betaCOP FW or p115 EE motifs. Thus, Golgi organization depends on mutually interacting domains in betaCOP and p115, suggesting that vesicle tethering at the Golgi involves p115 binding to the COPI coat.

Plasmodium falciparum Sec24 marks transitional ER that exports a model cargo via a diacidic motif

Exit from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) often occurs at distinct sites of vesicle formation known as transitional ER (tER) that are enriched for COPII vesicle coat proteins. We have characterized the organization of ER export in the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, by examining the localization of two components of the COPII machinery, PfSec12 and PfSec24a. PfSec12 was found throughout the ER, whereas the COPII cargo adaptor, PfSec24a, was concentrated at distinct foci that likely correspond to tER sites. These foci were closely apposed to cis-Golgi sites marked by PfGRASP-GFP, and upon treatment with brefeldin A they accumulated a model cargo protein via a process dependent on the presence of an intact diacidic export motif. Our data suggest that the cargo-binding function of PfSec24a is conserved and that accumulation of cargo in discrete tER sites depends upon positive sorting signals. Furthermore, the number and position of tER sites with respect to the cis-Golgi suggests a co-ordinated biogenesis of these domains.

Ebola virus matrix protein VP40 uses the COPII transport system for its intracellular transport

The Ebola virus matrix protein VP40 plays an important role in virion formation and viral egress from cells. However, the host cell proteins and mechanisms responsible for intracellular transport of VP40 prior to its contribution to virion formation remain to be elucidated. Therefore we used coimmunoprecipitation and mass spectrometric analyses to identify host proteins interacting with VP40. We found that Sec24C, a component of the host COPII vesicular transport system, interacts specifically with VP40 via VP40 amino acids 303 to 307. Coimmunoprecipitation and dominant-negative mutant studies indicated that the COPII transport system plays a critical role in VP40 intracellular transport to the plasma membrane. Marburg virus VP40 was also shown to use the COPII transport system for intracellular transport. These findings identify a conserved intersection between a host pathway and filovirus replication, an intersection that can be targeted in the development of new antiviral drugs.

The endoplasmic reticulum exit of glutamate transporter is regulated by the inducible mammalian Yip6b/GTRAP3-18 protein

GTRAP3-18 interacts with and reduces the activity of the neuronal specific Na(+)/K(+) glutamate transporter, EAAC1 both in vitro and in vivo. GTRAP3-18 and the related isoform, JM4, are distant relatives of the Rab GTPase-interacting factor PRA1, and share a topology of four transmembrane domains and cytosolic termini. GTRAP3-18 and JM4 are resident endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins. The physiological role of GTRAP3-18 is poorly understood. We demonstrate for the first time that GTRAP3-18 is a regulator of ER protein trafficking. Expression of GTRAP3-18 delays the ER exit of EAAC1, as well as other members of the excitatory amino acid transporter family. GTRAP3-18 uses hydrophobic domain interactions in the ER membrane to self-associate and cytoplasmic interactions at the C terminus to regulate trafficking. The features of GTRAP3-18 activity are consistent with recent phylogenic sequence analyses suggesting GTRAP3-18 and JM4 be reclassified as mammalian isoforms of the yeast protein family Yip, Yip6b, and Yip6a, respectively.

Quantitative live-cell analysis of microtubule-uncoupled cargo-protein sorting in the ER

The sorting and concentration of cargo proteins within ER exit sites (ERESs) is a fundamental function of the secretory machinery. The mechanism by which peripheral coat complexes and their small GTPase effectors mediate this function with export membrane domains is only partially understood. The secretory-machinery-mediated sorting to ERESs is a process that counters the entropy-driven even distribution of membrane proteins within organellar membranes. Here, for the first time, we quantified the dynamic properties of GFP-VSVG sorting to ERESs in living cells by uncoupling it from later translocation steps using microtubule depolymerization. The dynamics of the ER to ERES redistribution of cargo proteins was quantified in single cells by measuring changes in fluorescence-intensity variance after shift to the permissive temperature. Cargo concentration within ERESs continued in cells overexpressing the GTP-locked ARF1Q71L or in the presence of brefeldin A. In the absence of COPI and microtubules, ERESs transformed from tubulovesicular to spherical membranes that actively accumulated secretory cargo and excluded ER-membrane markers. We found sorting to ERESs to be a slow and diffusion-unlimited process. Our findings exclude COPI, and identify the COPII protein complex to be directly involved in the secretory cargo sorting and redistribution functions of ERESs.

Bap31 is an itinerant protein that moves between the peripheral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and a juxtanuclear compartment related to ER-associated Degradation

Certain endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) substrates with transmembrane domains are segregated from other ER proteins and sorted into a juxtanuclear subcompartment, known as the ER quality control compartment. Bap31 is an ER protein with three transmembrane domains, and it is assumed to be a cargo receptor for ER export of some transmembrane proteins, especially those prone to ERAD. Here, we show that Bap31 is a component of the ER quality control compartment and that it moves between the peripheral ER and a juxtanuclear ER or ER-related compartment distinct from the conventional ER-Golgi intermediate compartment. The third and second transmembrane domains of Bap31 are principally responsible for the movement to and recycling from the juxtanuclear region, respectively. This cycling was blocked by depolymerization of microtubules and disruption of dynein-dynactin function. Overexpression of Sar1p and Arf1 mutants affected Bap31 cycling, suggesting that this cycling pathway is related to the conventional vesicular transport pathways.

Intracellular targeting of a hordeiviral membrane-spanning movement protein: sequence requirements and involvement of an unconventional mechanism

The membrane-spanning protein TGBp3 is one of the three movement proteins (MPs) of Poa semilatent virus. TGBp3 is thought to direct other viral MPs and genomic RNA to peripheral bodies located in close proximity to plasmodesmata. We used the ectopic expression of green fluorescent protein-fused TGBp3 in epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves to study the TGBp3 intracellular trafficking pathway. Treatment with inhibitors was used to reveal that the targeting of TGBp3 to plasmodesmata does not require a functional cytoskeleton or secretory system. In addition, the suppression of endoplasmic reticulum-derived vesicle formation by a dominant negative mutant of small GTPase Sar1 had no detectable effect on TGBp3 trafficking to peripheral bodies. Collectively, these results suggested the involvement of an unconventional pathway in the intracellular transport of TGBp3. The determinants of targeting to plasmodesmata were localized to the C-terminal region of TGBp3, including the conserved hydrophilic and terminal membrane-spanning domains.

A palmitoylation cycle dynamically regulates partitioning of the GABA-synthesizing enzyme GAD65 between ER-Golgi and post-Golgi membranes

GAD65, the smaller isoform of the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase, synthesizes GABA for fine-tuning of inhibitory neurotransmission. GAD65 is synthesized as a soluble hydrophilic protein but undergoes a hydrophobic post-translational modification and becomes anchored to the cytosolic face of Golgi membranes. A second hydrophobic modification, palmitoylation of Cys30 and Cys45 in GAD65, is not required for the initial membrane anchoring but is crucial for post-Golgi trafficking of the protein to presynaptic clusters. The mechanism by which palmitoylation directs targeting of GAD65 through and out of the Golgi complex is unknown. Here, we show that prior to palmitoylation, GAD65 anchors to both ER and Golgi membranes. Palmitoylation, however, clears GAD65 from the ER-Golgi, targets it to the trans-Golgi network and then to a post-Golgi vesicular pathway. FRAP analyses of trafficking of GAD65-GFP reveal a rapid and a slow pool of protein replenishing the Golgi complex. The rapid pool represents non-palmitoylated hydrophobic GAD65-GFP, which exchanges rapidly between the cytosol and ER/Golgi membranes. The slow pool represents palmitoylation-competent GAD65-GFP, which replenishes the Golgi complex via a non-vesicular pathway and at a rate consistent with a depalmitoylation step. We propose that a depalmitoylation-repalmitoylation cycle serves to cycle GAD65 between Golgi and post-Golgi membranes and dynamically control levels of enzyme directed to the synapse.

Endoplasmic reticulum export of adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors is differentially regulated by Sar1 GTPase

The molecular mechanism underlying the export of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) remains largely unknown. In this manuscript, we investigated the role of Sar1 GTPase, which coordinates the assembly and budding of COPII-coated vesicles, in the cell-surface targeting, signaling and ER export of alpha(2B)-adrenergic (alpha(2B)-AR), beta(2)-AR and angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R). The cell-surface expression of alpha(2B)-AR, beta(2)-AR and AT1R, and receptor-mediated ERK1/2 activation were significantly attenuated by the GTP-bound mutant Sar1H79G, suggesting that export from the ER of these receptors is mediated through the Sar1-dependent COPII-coated vesicles. Interestingly, subcellular distribution analyses showed that alpha(2B)-AR and AT1R were highly concentrated at discrete locations near the nucleus in cells expressing Sar1H79G, whereas beta(2)-AR exhibited an ER distribution. These data indicate that Sar1-catalyzed efficient GTP hydrolysis differentially regulates ER export of adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors. These data provide the first evidence indicating distinct mechanisms for the recruitment of different GPCRs into the COPII vesicles on the ER membrane.

Use of dynasore, the small molecule inhibitor of dynamin, in the regulation of endocytosis

The large GTPase dynamin is essential for clathrin-dependent coated-vesicle formation. Dynasore is a cell-permeable small molecule that inhibits the GTPase activity of dynamin1, dynamin2 and Drp1, the mitochondrial dynamin. Dynasore was discovered in a screen of approximately 16,000 compounds for inhibitors of the dynamin2 GTPase. Dynasore is a noncompetitive inhibitor of dynamin GTPase activity and blocks dynamin-dependent endocytosis in cells, including neurons. It is fast acting (seconds) and its inhibitory effect in cells can be reversed by washout. Here we present a detailed synthesis protocol for dynasore, and describe a series of experiments used to analyze the inhibitory effects of dynasore on dynamin in vitro and to study the effects of dynasore on endocytosis in cells.

Recent advances in fluorescent labeling techniques for fluorescence microscopy

Tremendous progress in recent computer-controlled systems for fluorescence and laser-confocal microscopy has provided us with powerful tools to visualize and analyze molecular events in the cells. Various fluorescent staining and labeling techniques have also been developed to be used with these powerful instruments. Fluorescent proteins such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) allow us to directly label particular proteins of interest in living cells. This technique has been extended over a large area of cell biology, and a variety of fluorescent protein-derived techniques have been developed to visualize the functions and conditions of the molecules within living cells. In this review, we summarize the techniques for fluorescent staining and labeling for recent fluorescence microscopy.

Assembly, organization, and function of the COPII coat

A full mechanistic understanding of how secretory cargo proteins are exported from the endoplasmic reticulum for passage through the early secretory pathway is essential for us to comprehend how cells are organized, maintain compartment identity, as well as how they selectively secrete proteins and other macromolecules to the extracellular space. This process depends on the function of a multi-subunit complex, the COPII coat. Here we describe progress towards a full mechanistic understanding of COPII coat function, including the latest findings in this area. Much of our understanding of how COPII functions and is regulated comes from studies of yeast genetics, biochemical reconstitution and single cell microscopy. New developments arising from clinical cases and model organism biology and genetics enable us to gain far greater insight in to the role of membrane traffic in the context of a whole organism as well as during embryogenesis and development. A significant outcome of such a full understanding is to reveal how the machinery and processes of membrane trafficking through the early secretory pathway fail in disease states.

Dissecting the role of the ARF guanine nucleotide exchange factor GBF1 in Golgi biogenesis and protein trafficking

COPI recruitment to membranes appears to be essential for the biogenesis of the Golgi and for secretory trafficking. Preventing COPI recruitment by expressing inactive forms of the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) or the ARF-activating guanine nucleotide exchange factor GBF1, or by treating cells with brefeldin A (BFA), causes the collapse of the Golgi into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and arrests trafficking of soluble and transmembrane proteins at the ER. Here, we assess COPI function in Golgi biogenesis and protein trafficking by preventing COPI recruitment to membranes by removing GBF1. We report that siRNA-mediated depletion of GBF1 causes COPI dispersal but does not lead to collapse of the Golgi. Instead, it causes extensive tubulation of the cis-Golgi. The Golgi-derived tubules target to peripheral ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) sites and create dynamic continuities between the ERGIC and the cis-Golgi compartment. COPI dispersal in GBF1-depleted cells causes dramatic inhibition of the trafficking of transmembrane proteins. Unexpectedly, soluble proteins continue to be secreted from GBF1-depleted cells. Our findings suggest that a secretory pathway capable of trafficking soluble proteins can be maintained in cells in which COPI recruitment is compromised by GBF1 depletion. However, the trafficking of transmembrane proteins through the existing pathway requires GBF1-mediated ARF activation and COPI recruitment.

Distinct functions for Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factors at the Golgi complex: GBF1 and BIGs are required for assembly and maintenance of the Golgi stack and trans-Golgi network, respectively

We examined the relative function of the two classes of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for ADP-ribosylation factors that regulate recruitment of coat proteins on the Golgi complex. Complementary overexpression and RNA-based knockdown approaches established that GBF1 regulates COPI recruitment on cis-Golgi compartments, whereas BIGs appear specialized for adaptor proteins on the trans-Golgi. Knockdown of GBF1 and/or COPI did not prevent export of VSVGtsO45 from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but caused its accumulation into peripheral vesiculotubular clusters. In contrast, knockdown of BIG1 and BIG2 caused loss of clathrin adaptor proteins and redistribution of several TGN markers, but had no impact on COPI and several Golgi markers. Surprisingly, brefeldin A-inhibited guanine nucleotide exchange factors (BIGs) knockdown prevented neither traffic of VSVGtsO45 to the plasma membrane nor assembly of a polarized Golgi stack. Our observations indicate that COPII is the only coat required for sorting and export from the ER exit sites, whereas GBF1 but not BIGs, is required for COPI recruitment, Golgi subcompartmentalization, and cargo progression to the cell surface.

A guide to viral inclusions, membrane rearrangements, factories, and viroplasm produced during virus replication

Virus replication can cause extensive rearrangement of host cell cytoskeletal and membrane compartments leading to the “cytopathic effect” that has been the hallmark of virus infection in tissue culture for many years. Recent studies are beginning to redefine these signs of viral infection in terms of specific effects of viruses on cellular processes. In this chapter, these concepts have been illustrated by describing the replication sites produced by many different viruses. In many cases, the cellular rearrangements caused during virus infection lead to the construction of sophisticated platforms in the cell that concentrate replicase proteins, virus genomes, and host proteins required for replication, and thereby increase the efficiency of replication. Interestingly, these same structures, called virus factories, virus inclusions, or virosomes, can recruit host components that are associated with cellular defences against infection and cell stress. It is possible that cellular defence pathways can be subverted by viruses to generate sites of replication. The recruitment of cellular membranes and cytoskeleton to generate virus replication sites can also benefit viruses in other ways. Disruption of cellular membranes can, for example, slow the transport of immunomodulatory proteins to the surface of infected cells and protect against innate and acquired immune responses, and rearrangements to cytoskeleton can facilitate virus release.

Growing dendrites and axons differ in their reliance on the secretory pathway

Little is known about how the distinct architectures of dendrites and axons are established. From a genetic screen, we isolated dendritic arbor reduction (dar) mutants with reduced dendritic arbors but normal axons of Drosophila neurons. We identified dar2, dar3, and dar6 genes as the homologs of Sec23, Sar1, and Rab1 of the secretory pathway. In both Drosophila and rodent neurons, defects in Sar1 expression preferentially affected dendritic growth, revealing evolutionarily conserved difference between dendritic and axonal development in the sensitivity to limiting membrane supply from the secretory pathway. Whereas limiting ER-to-Golgi transport resulted in decreased membrane supply from soma to dendrites, membrane supply to axons remained sustained. We also show that dendritic growth is contributed by Golgi outposts, which are found predominantly in dendrites. The distinct dependence between dendritic and axonal growth on the secretory pathway helps to establish different morphology of dendrites and axons.

Golgi regeneration after brefeldin A treatment in BY-2 cells entails stack enlargement and cisternal growth followed by division

Brefeldin A (BFA) treatment stops secretion and leads to the resorption of much of the Golgi apparatus into the endoplasmic reticulum. This effect is reversible upon washing out the drug, providing a situation for studying Golgi biogenesis. In this investigation Golgi regeneration in synchronized tobacco BY-2 cells was followed by electron microscopy and by the immunofluorescence detection of ARF1, which localizes to the rims of Golgi cisternae and serves as an indicator of COPI vesiculation. Beginning as clusters of vesicles that are COPI positive, mini-Golgi stacks first become recognizable 60 min after BFA washout. They continue to increase in terms of numbers and length of cisternae for a further 90 min before overshooting the size of control Golgi stacks. As a result, increasing numbers of dividing Golgi stacks were observed 120 min after BFA washout. BFA-regeneration experiments performed on cells treated with BFA (10 microg mL(-1)) for only short periods (30-45 min) showed that the formation of ER-Golgi hybrid structures, once initiated by BFA treatment, is an irreversible process, the further incorporation of Golgi membranes into the ER continuing during a subsequent drug washout. Application of the protein kinase A inhibitor H-89, which effectively blocks the reassembly of the Golgi apparatus in mammalian cells, also prevented stack regeneration in BY-2 cells, but only at very high, almost toxic concentrations (>200 microm). Our data suggest that under normal conditions mitosis-related Golgi stack duplication may likely occur via cisternal growth followed by fission.

Alternate routes for drug delivery to the cell interior: pathways to the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum

The targeted delivery of drugs to the cell interior can be accomplished by taking advantage of the various receptor-mediated endocytic pathways operating in a particular cell. Among these pathways, the retrograde trafficking pathway from endosomes to the Golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum is of special importance since it provides a route to deliver drugs bypassing the acid pH, hydrolytic environment of the lysosome. The existence of pathways for drug or antigen delivery to the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus has been to a large extent an outcome of research on the trafficking of A/B type-bacterial or plant toxins such as Shiga toxin within the cell. The targeting properties of these toxins reside in their B subunit. In this article we present an overview of the multiplicity of pathways to deliver drugs intracellularly. We highlight the retrograde trafficking pathway illustrated by Shiga toxin and Shiga-like toxin, and the potential role of the B subunit of these toxins as carriers of drugs, antigens and imaging agents.

Impact of live cell imaging on coated vesicle research

The role of membrane traffic is to transfer cargo between distinct subcellular compartments. Each individual trafficking event involves the creation, transport and fusion of vesicular and tubular carriers that are formed and regulated via cytoplasmic coat protein complexes. The dynamic nature of this process is therefore highly suitable for studying using live cell imaging techniques. Although these approaches have raised further questions for the field, they have also been instrumental in providing essential new information, in particular relating to the morphology of transport carriers and the exchange kinetics of coat proteins and their regulators on membranes. Here, we present an overview of live cell-imaging experiments that have been used in the study of coated-vesicle transport, and provide specific examples of their impact on our understanding of coat function.

COPII under the microscope

Transport through the secretory pathway begins with COPII regulation of ER export. Driven by the Sar1 GTPase cycle, cytosolic COPII proteins exchange on and off the membrane at specific sites on the ER to regulate cargo exit. Here recent developments in COPII research are discussed, particularly the use of live-cell imaging, which has revealed surprising insights into the coat's role. The seemingly static ER exit sites are in fact highly dynamic, and the ability to visualise trafficking processes in intact living cells has highlighted the adaptable nature of COPII in cargo transport and the emerging roles of auxiliary factors.