Isolation of a murine cDNA clone encoding Rab19, a novel tissue-specific small GTPase

RAB19 Directs Cortical Remodeling and Membrane Growth for Primary Ciliogenesis

Primary cilia are sensory organelles that utilize the compartmentalization of membrane and cytoplasm to communicate signaling events, and yet, how the formation of a cilium is coordinated with reorganization of the cortical membrane and cytoskeleton is unclear. Using polarized epithelia, we find that cortical actin clearing and apical membrane partitioning occur where the centrosome resides at the cell surface prior to ciliation. RAB19, a previously uncharacterized RAB, associates with the RAB-GAP TBC1D4 and the HOPS-tethering complex to coordinate cortical clearing and ciliary membrane growth, which is essential for ciliogenesis. This RAB19-directed pathway is not exclusive to polarized epithelia, as RAB19 loss in nonpolarized cell types blocks ciliogenesis with a docked ciliary vesicle. Remarkably, inhibiting actomyosin contractility can substitute for the function of the RAB19 complex and restore ciliogenesis in knockout cells. Together, this work provides a mechanistic understanding behind a cytoskeletal clearing and membrane partitioning step required for ciliogenesis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-mediated up-regulation of long noncoding RNA LINC01320 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer via miR495-5p/RAB19 axis

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. Long non-coding RNAs play crucial roles in gastric cancer progression. This study investigated the effect of LINC01320 on malignant behaviors of gastric cancer cells and explored its possible molecular mechanism. LINC01320 expression in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines was measured by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation, transwell, and cell cloning assays were used to detect the effect of LINC01320 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities, respectively, of gastric cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the binding of miR-495-5p with LINC01320 and RAB19. A luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify their interactions. Finally, the N⁶-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of LINC01320 by METTL14 was identified through RIP experiments. LINC01320 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cells. LINC01320 overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells, while LINC01320 knockdown exerted the opposite effects. Moreover, miR-495-5p was predicted and demonstrated to target LINC01320 and RAB19. LINC01320 sponged miR-495-5p to regulate the expression of RAB19. Additionally, LINC01320-induced increases in cell viability, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer were alleviated by miR-495-5p and silenced RAB19. Furthermore, epigenetic studies showed that METTL14-mediated m6A modification led to LINC01320 up-regulation. METTL14 regulated the m6A modification of LINC01320. Overexpressed LINC01320 contributed to the aggressive phenotype of gastric cancer cells via regulating the miR-495-5p/RAB19 axis. This finding may provide new potential targets for treating gastric cancer.

The substrate specificity of the human TRAPPII complex's Rab-guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity

The TRAnsport Protein Particle (TRAPP) complexes act as Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for Rab GTPases, which are master regulators of membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells. In metazoans, there are two large multi-protein TRAPP complexes: TRAPPII and TRAPPIII, with the TRAPPII complex able to activate both Rab1 and Rab11. Here we present detailed biochemical characterisation of Rab-GEF specificity of the human TRAPPII complex, and molecular insight into Rab binding. GEF assays of the TRAPPII complex against a panel of 20 different Rab GTPases revealed GEF activity on Rab43 and Rab19. Electron microscopy and chemical cross-linking revealed the architecture of mammalian TRAPPII. Hydrogen deuterium exchange MS showed that Rab1, Rab11 and Rab43 share a conserved binding interface. Clinical mutations in Rab11, and phosphomimics of Rab43, showed decreased TRAPPII GEF mediated exchange. Finally, we designed a Rab11 mutation that maintained TRAPPII-mediated GEF activity while decreasing activity of the Rab11-GEF SH3BP5, providing a tool to dissect Rab11 signalling. Overall, our results provide insight into the GTPase specificity of TRAPPII, and how clinical mutations disrupt this regulation.

Here the authors reveal unique structural organization of the mammalian TRAPPII complex, which is critical in regulating membrane trafficking. They find that TRAPPII serves as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for unexpected Rab GTPases such as Rab43 and Rab19.

Are Rab proteins the link between Golgi organization and membrane trafficking?

The fundamental separation of Golgi function between subcompartments termed cisternae is conserved across all eukaryotes. Likewise, Rab proteins, small GTPases of the Ras superfamily, are putative common coordinators of Golgi organization and protein transport. However, despite sequence conservation, e.g., Rab6 and Ypt6 are conserved proteins between humans and yeast, the fundamental organization of the organelle can vary profoundly. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Golgi cisternae are physically separated from one another, while in mammalian cells, the cisternae are stacked one upon the other. Moreover, in mammalian cells, many Golgi stacks are typically linked together to generate a ribbon structure. Do evolutionarily conserved Rab proteins regulate secretory membrane trafficking and diverse Golgi organization in a common manner? In mammalian cells, some Golgi-associated Rab proteins function in coordination of protein transport and maintenance of Golgi organization. These include Rab6, Rab33B, Rab1, Rab2, Rab18, and Rab43. In yeast, these include Ypt1, Ypt32, and Ypt6. Here, based on evidence from both yeast and mammalian cells, we speculate on the essential role of Rab proteins in Golgi organization and protein transport.

Role of Rab GTPases in membrane traffic and cell physiology

Intracellular membrane traffic defines a complex network of pathways that connects many of the membrane-bound organelles of eukaryotic cells. Although each pathway is governed by its own set of factors, they all contain Rab GTPases that serve as master regulators. In this review, we discuss how Rabs can regulate virtually all steps of membrane traffic from the formation of the transport vesicle at the donor membrane to its fusion at the target membrane. Some of the many regulatory functions performed by Rabs include interacting with diverse effector proteins that select cargo, promoting vesicle movement, and verifying the correct site of fusion. We describe cascade mechanisms that may define directionality in traffic and ensure that different Rabs do not overlap in the pathways that they regulate. Throughout this review we highlight how Rab dysfunction leads to a variety of disease states ranging from infectious diseases to cancer.

Secretory lysosomes

Regulated secretion of stored secretory products is important in many cell types. In contrast to professional secretory cells, which store their secretory products in specialized secretory granules, some secretory cells store their secretory proteins in a dual-function organelle, called a secretory lysosome. Functionally, secretory lysosomes are unusual in that they serve both as a degradative and as a secretory compartment. Recent work shows that cells with secretory lysosomes use new sorting and secretory pathways. The importance of these organelles is highlighted by several genetic diseases, in which immune function and pigmentation--two processes that normally involve secretory lysosomes--are impaired.

Moderate discrimination of REP-1 between Rab7 x GDP and Rab7 x GTP arises from a difference of an order of magnitude in dissociation rates

The kinetics of the interaction of Rab7 with REP-1 have been investigated using the fluorescence of GDP and GTP analogs at the active site of Rab7. The results show that REP-1 has higher affinity for the GDP bound form of Rab7 (Kd=1 nM) than for the GTP bound form (Kd=20 nM). Both affinities should still be sufficient for the formation of stable complexes in the cell. The association reaction proceeds in two steps for the GDP bound form. The initial step is fast (k+1 = ca. 10[7] M[-1] s[-1]) and concentration dependent while the second represents a slow equilibration (k+2 + k-2 = 3.5 s[-1]) which has little effect on the overall equilibrium. The difference in affinity of the two nucleotide bound forms arises from a difference in dissociation rates (0.012 s[-1] for Rab7 x GDP and 0.2 s[-1] for Rab7 x GTP).

Role of Rab GTPases in membrane traffic

Small GTPases of the Rab subfamily have been known to be key regulators of intracellular membrane traffic since the late 1980s. Today this protein group amounts to more than 40 members in mammalian cells which localize to distinct membrane compartments and exert functions in different trafficking steps on the biosynthetic and endocytic pathways. Recent studies indicate that cycles of GTP binding and hydrolysis by the Rab proteins are linked to the recruitment of specific effector molecules on cellular membranes, which in turn impact on membrane docking/fusion processes. Different Rabs may, nevertheless, have slightly different principles of action. Studies performed in yeast suggest that connections between the Rabs and the SNARE machinery play a central role in membrane docking/fusion. Further elucidation of this linkage is required in order to fully understand the functional mechanisms of Rab GTPases in membrane traffic.