Phosphoinositides in Golgi complex function

Non-vesicular phosphatidylinositol transfer plays critical roles in defining organelle lipid composition

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is the precursor lipid for the minor phosphoinositides (PPIns), which are critical for multiple functions in all eukaryotic cells. It is poorly understood how phosphatidylinositol, which is synthesized in the ER, reaches those membranes where PPIns are formed. Here, we used VT01454, a recently identified inhibitor of class I PI transfer proteins (PITPs), to unravel their roles in lipid metabolism, and solved the structure of inhibitor-bound PITPNA to gain insight into the mode of inhibition. We found that class I PITPs not only distribute PI for PPIns production in various organelles such as the plasma membrane (PM) and late endosomes/lysosomes, but that their inhibition also significantly reduced the levels of phosphatidylserine, di- and triacylglycerols, and other lipids, and caused prominent increases in phosphatidic acid. While VT01454 did not inhibit Golgi PI4P formation nor reduce resting PM PI(4,5)P2 levels, the recovery of the PM pool of PI(4,5)P2 after receptor-mediated hydrolysis required both class I and class II PITPs. Overall, these studies show that class I PITPs differentially regulate phosphoinositide pools and affect the overall cellular lipid landscape.

A Phosphoinositide-Binding Protein Acts in the Trafficking Pathway of Hemoglobin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Phosphoinositide lipids play key roles in a variety of processes in eukaryotic cells, but our understanding of their functions in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is still very much limited. To gain a deeper comprehension of the roles of phosphoinositides in this important pathogen, we attempted gene inactivation for 24 putative effectors of phosphoinositide metabolism. Our results reveal that 79% of the candidates are refractory to genetic deletion and are therefore potentially essential for parasite growth. Inactivation of the gene coding for a Plasmodium-specific putative phosphoinositide-binding protein, which we named PfPX1, results in a severe growth defect. We show that PfPX1 likely binds phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate and that it localizes to the membrane of the digestive vacuole of the parasite and to vesicles filled with host cell cytosol and labeled with endocytic markers. Critically, we provide evidence that it is important in the trafficking pathway of hemoglobin from the host erythrocyte to the digestive vacuole. Finally, inactivation of PfPX1 renders parasites resistant to artemisinin, the frontline antimalarial drug. Globally, the minimal redundancy in the putative phosphoinositide proteins uncovered in our work supports that targeting this pathway has potential for antimalarial drug development. Moreover, our identification of a phosphoinositide-binding protein critical for the trafficking of hemoglobin provides key insight into this essential process. IMPORTANCE Malaria represents an enormous burden for a significant proportion of humanity, and the lack of vaccines and problems with drug resistance to all antimalarials demonstrate the need to develop new therapeutics. Inhibitors of phosphoinositide metabolism are currently being developed as antimalarials but our understanding of this biological pathway is incomplete. The malaria parasite lives inside human red blood cells where it imports hemoglobin to cover some of its nutritional needs. In this work, we have identified a phosphoinositide-binding protein that is important for the transport of hemoglobin in the parasite. Inactivation of this protein decreases the ability of the parasite to proliferate. Our results have therefore identified a potential new target for antimalarial development.

Myelin Biology

Myelin is a key evolutionary specialization and adaptation of vertebrates formed by the plasma membrane of glial cells, which insulate axons in the nervous system. Myelination not only allows rapid and efficient transmission of electric impulses in the axon by decreasing capacitance and increasing resistance but also influences axonal metabolism and the plasticity of neural circuits. In this review, we will focus on Schwann cells, the glial cells which form myelin in the peripheral nervous system. Here, we will describe the main extrinsic and intrinsic signals inducing Schwann cell differentiation and myelination and how myelin biogenesis is achieved. Finally, we will also discuss how the study of human disorders in which molecules and pathways relevant for myelination are altered has enormously contributed to the current knowledge on myelin biology.

Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol kinase-III alpha induces or facilitates lysosome exocytosis from microglia

Besides degradation, lysosomes can also carry molecules for secretion out of the cell, such as ATP and cytokines, during unconventional secretion. Phosphatidylinositols and their metabolizing enzymes play important roles in the sorting and trafficking of lysosomal materials through the trans-Golgi network. The present study reveals a new function of phosphatidylinositol kinase-III alpha in the 'kiss-and-run' fusion of lysosomes at the plasma membrane to release ATP from microglia.

Myelination of peripheral nerves is controlled by PI4KB through regulation of Schwann cell Golgi function

Better understanding myelination of peripheral nerves would benefit patients affected by peripheral neuropathies, including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Little is known about the role the Golgi compartment plays in Schwann cell (SC) functions. Here, we studied the role of Golgi in myelination of peripheral nerves in mice through SC-specific genetic inactivation of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase beta (PI4KB), a Golgi-associated lipid kinase. Sciatic nerves of such mice showed thinner myelin of large diameter axons and gross aberrations in myelin organization affecting the nodes of Ranvier, the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures, and Cajal bands. Nonmyelinating SCs showed a striking inability to engulf small diameter nerve fibers. SCs of mutant mice showed a distorted Golgi morphology and disappearance of OSBP at the cis-Golgi compartment, together with a complete loss of GOLPH3 from the entire Golgi. Accordingly, the cholesterol and sphingomyelin contents of sciatic nerves were greatly reduced and so was the number of caveolae observed in SCs. Although the conduction velocity of sciatic nerves of mutant mice showed an 80% decrease, the mice displayed only subtle impairment in their motor functions. Our analysis revealed that Golgi functions supported by PI4KB are critically important for proper myelination through control of lipid metabolism, protein glycosylation, and organization of microvilli in the nodes of Ranvier of peripheral nerves.

Cargo Sorting at the trans-Golgi Network for Shunting into Specific Transport Routes: Role of Arf Small G Proteins and Adaptor Complexes

The trans-Golgi network (TGN) is responsible for selectively recruiting newly synthesized cargo into transport carriers for delivery to their appropriate destination. In addition, the TGN is responsible for receiving and recycling cargo from endosomes. The membrane organization of the TGN facilitates the sorting of cargoes into distinct populations of transport vesicles. There have been significant advances in defining the molecular mechanism involved in the recognition of membrane cargoes for recruitment into different populations of transport carriers. This machinery includes cargo adaptors of the adaptor protein (AP) complex family, and monomeric Golgi-localized γ ear-containing Arf-binding protein (GGA) family, small G proteins, coat proteins, as well as accessory factors to promote budding and fission of transport vesicles. Here, we review this literature with a particular focus on the transport pathway(s) mediated by the individual cargo adaptors and the cargo motifs recognized by these adaptors. Defects in these cargo adaptors lead to a wide variety of diseases.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate controls Rab7 and PLEKHM1 membrane cycling during autophagosome-lysosome fusion

The small GTPase Rab7 is a key organizer of receptor sorting and lysosomal degradation by recruiting of a variety of effectors depending on its GDP/GTP-bound state. However, molecular mechanisms that trigger Rab7 inactivation remain elusive. Here we find that, among the endosomal pools, Rab7-positive compartments possess the highest level of PI4P, which is primarily produced by PI4K2A kinase. Acute conversion of this endosomal PI4P to PI(4,5)P2 causes Rab7 dissociation from late endosomes and releases a regulator of autophagosome-lysosome fusion, PLEKHM1, from the membrane. Rab7 effectors Vps35 and RILP are not affected by acute PI(4,5)P2 production. Deletion of PI4K2A greatly reduces PIP5Kγ-mediated PI(4,5)P2 production in Rab7-positive endosomes leading to impaired Rab7 inactivation and increased number of LC3-positive structures with defective autophagosome-lysosome fusion. These results reveal a late endosomal PI4P-PI(4,5)P2 -dependent regulatory loop that impacts autophagosome flux by affecting Rab7 cycling and PLEKHM1 association.

A large scale high-throughput screen identifies chemical inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase type II alpha

The minor phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P), is emerging as a key regulator of lipid transfer in ER-membrane contact sites. Four different phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K) enzymes generate PI4P in different membrane compartments supporting distinct cellular processes, many of which are crucial for the maintenance of cellular integrity but also hijacked by intracellular pathogens. While type III PI4Ks have been targeted by small molecular inhibitors, thus helping decipher their importance in cellular physiology, no inhibitors are available for the type II PI4Ks, which hinders investigations into their cellular functions. Here, we describe the identification of small molecular inhibitors of PI4K type II alpha (PI4K2A) by implementing a large scale small molecule high-throughput screening. A novel assay was developed that allows testing of selected inhibitors against PI4K2A in intact cells using a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer approach adapted to plate readers. The compounds disclosed here will pave the way to the optimization of PI4K2A inhibitors that can be used in cellular and animal studies to better understand the role of this enzyme in both normal and pathological states.

Understanding the selectivity of inhibitors toward PI4KIIIα and PI4KIIIβ based molecular modeling

Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations are combined to investigate the selectivity of inhibitors toward type III phosphatidylinositol 4 kinases.

The ARF guanine nucleotide exchange factor GBF1 is targeted to Golgi membranes through a PIP-binding domain

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARF) GTPases are activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) to support cellular homeostasis. Key to understanding spatio-temporal regulation of ARF signaling is the mechanism of GEF recruitment to membranes. Small GEFs are recruited through phosphoinositide (PIP) binding by a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain downstream from the catalytic Sec7 domain (Sec7d). The large GEFs lack PH domains, and their recruitment mechanisms are poorly understood. We probed Golgi recruitment of GBF1, a GEF catalyzing ARF activation required for Golgi homeostasis. We show that the homology downstream of Sec7d-1 (HDS1) regulates Golgi recruitment of GBF1. We document that GBF1 binds phosphoinositides, preferentially PI3P, PI4P and PI(4,5)P₂, and that lipid binding requires the HDS1 domain. Mutations within HDS1 that reduce GBF1 binding to specific PIPs in vitro inhibit GBF1 targeting to Golgi membranes in cells. Our data imply that HDS1 and PH domains are functionally analogous in that each uses lipid-based membrane information to regulate GEF recruitment. Lipid-based recruitment of GBF1 extends the paradigm of lipid regulation to small and large GEFs and suggests that lipid-based mechanisms evolved early during GEF diversification. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.