Mitotic ER Exit Site Disassembly and Reassembly Are Regulated by the Phosphorylation Status of TANGO1

Small GTPase ActIvitY ANalyzing (SAIYAN) system: A method to detect GTPase activation in living cells

Small GTPases are essential in various cellular signaling pathways, and detecting their activation within living cells is crucial for understanding cellular processes. The current methods for detecting GTPase activation using fluorescent proteins rely on the interaction between the GTPase and its effector. Consequently, these methods are not applicable to factors, such as Sar1, where the effector also functions as a GTPase-activating protein. Here, we present a novel method, the Small GTPase ActIvitY ANalyzing (SAIYAN) system, for detecting the activation of endogenous small GTPases via fluorescent signals utilizing a split mNeonGreen system. We demonstrated Sar1 activation at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit site and successfully detected its activation state in various cellular conditions. Utilizing the SAIYAN system in collagen-secreting cells, we discovered activated Sar1 localized both at the ER exit sites and ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) regions. Additionally, impaired collagen secretion confined the activated Sar1 at the ER exit sites, implying the importance of Sar1 activation through the ERGIC in collagen secretion.

p24-Tango1 interactions ensure ER-Golgi interface stability and efficient transport

The eukaryotic p24 family, consisting of α-, β-, γ- and δ-p24 subfamilies, has long been known to be involved in regulating secretion. Despite increasing interest in these proteins, fundamental questions remain about their role. Here, we systematically investigated Drosophila p24 proteins. We discovered that members of all four p24 subfamilies are required for general secretion and that their localizations between ER exit site (ERES) and Golgi are interdependent in an α→βδ→γ sequence. We also found that localization of p24 proteins and ERES determinant Tango1 requires interaction through their respective GOLD and SH3 lumenal domains, with Tango1 loss sending p24 proteins to the plasma membrane and vice versa. Finally, we show that p24 loss expands the COPII zone at ERES and increases the number of ER-Golgi vesicles, supporting a restrictive role of p24 proteins on vesicle budding for efficient transport. Our results reveal Tango1-p24 interplay as central to the generation of a stable ER-Golgi interface.

A Hollow TFG Condensate Spatially Compartmentalizes the Early Secretory Pathway

In the early secretory pathway, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi membranes form a nearly spherical interface. In this ribosome-excluding zone, bidirectional transport of cargo coincides with a spatial segregation of anterograde and retrograde carriers by an unknown mechanism. We show that at physiological conditions, Trk-fused gene (TFG) self-organizes to form a hollow, anisotropic condensate that matches the dimensions of the ER-Golgi interface. Regularly spaced hydrophobic residues in TFG control the condensation mechanism and result in a porous condensate surface. We find that TFG condensates act as a molecular sieve, enabling molecules corresponding to the size of anterograde coats (COPII) to access the condensate interior while restricting retrograde coats (COPI). We propose that a hollow TFG condensate structures the ER-Golgi interface to create a diffusion-limited space for bidirectional transport. We further propose that TFG condensates optimize membrane flux by insulating secretory carriers in their lumen from retrograde carriers outside TFG cages.

TANGO1 Dances to Export of Procollagen from the Endoplasmic Reticulum

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi secretory pathway is an elegantly complex process whereby protein cargoes are manufactured, folded, and distributed from the ER to the cisternal layers of the Golgi stack before they are delivered to their final destinations. The export of large bulky cargoes such as procollagen and its trafficking to the Golgi is a sophisticated mechanism requiring TANGO1 (Transport ANd Golgi Organization protein 1. It is also called MIA3 (Melanoma Inhibitory Activity protein 3). TANGO1 has two prominent isoforms, TANGO1-Long and TANGO1-Short, and each isoform has specific functions. On the luminal side, TANGO1-Long has an HSP47 recruitment domain and uses this protein to collect collagen. It can also tether its paralog isoforms cTAGE5 and TALI and along with these proteins enlarges the vesicle to accommodate procollagen. Recent studies show that TANGO1-Long combines retrograde membrane flow with anterograde cargo transport. This complex mechanism is highly activated in fibrosis and promotes the excessive deposition of collagen in the tissues. The therapeutic targeting of TANGO1 may prove successful in the control of fibrotic disorders. This review focuses on TANGO1 and its complex interaction with other procollagen export factors that modulate increased vesicle size to accommodate the export of procollagen.

DYRK3 enables secretory trafficking by maintaining the liquid-like state of ER exit sites

The dual-specificity kinase DYRK3 controls the formation and dissolution of multiple biomolecular condensates, regulating processes including stress recovery and mitotic progression. Here, we report that DYRK3 functionally interacts with proteins associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites (ERESs) and that inhibition of DYRK3 perturbs the organization of the ERES-Golgi interface and secretory trafficking. DYRK3-mediated regulation of ERES depends on the N-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of the peripheral membrane protein SEC16A, which co-phase separates with ERES components to form liquid-like condensates on the surface of the ER. By modulating the liquid-like properties of ERES, we show that their physical state is essential for functional cargo trafficking through the early secretory pathway. Our findings support a mechanism whereby phosphorylation by DYRK3 and its reversal by serine-threonine phosphatases regulate the material properties of ERES to create a favorable physicochemical environment for directional membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells.

Emerging roles of mitotic autophagy

Lysosomes exert pleiotropic functions to maintain cellular homeostasis and degrade autophagy cargo. Despite the great advances that have boosted our understanding of autophagy and lysosomes in both physiology and pathology, their function in mitosis is still controversial. During mitosis, most organelles are reshaped or repurposed to allow the correct distribution of chromosomes. Mitotic entry is accompanied by a reduction in sites of autophagy initiation, supporting the idea of an inhibition of autophagy to protect the genetic material against harmful degradation. However, there is accumulating evidence revealing the requirement of selective autophagy and functional lysosomes for a faithful chromosome segregation. Degradation is the most-studied lysosomal activity, but recently described alternative functions that operate in mitosis highlight the lysosomes as guardians of mitotic progression. Because the involvement of autophagy in mitosis remains controversial, it is important to consider the specific contribution of signalling cascades, the functions of autophagic proteins and the multiple roles of lysosomes, as three entangled, but independent, factors controlling genomic stability. In this Review, we discuss the latest advances in this area and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting autophagy for drug development.

ER exit sites in Drosophila display abundant ER-Golgi vesicles and pearled tubes but no megacarriers

Secretory cargos are collected at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites (ERES) before transport to the Golgi apparatus. Decades of research have provided many details of the molecular events underlying ER-Golgi exchanges. Essential questions, however, remain about the organization of the ER-Golgi interface in cells and the type of membrane structures mediating traffic from ERES. To investigate these, we use transgenic tagging in Drosophila flies, 3D-structured illumination microscopy (SIM), and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to characterize ERES-Golgi units in collagen-producing fat body, imaginal discs, and imaginal discs overexpressing ERES determinant Tango1. Facing ERES, we find a pre-cis-Golgi region, equivalent to the vertebrate ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), involved in both anterograde and retrograde transport. This pre-cis-Golgi is continuous with the rest of the Golgi, not a separate compartment or collection of large carriers, for which we find no evidence. We observe, however, many vesicles, as well as pearled tubules connecting ERES and Golgi.

TANGO1 marshals the early secretory pathway for cargo export

TANGO1 protein facilitates the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export of large cargoes that cannot be accommodated in 60 nm transport vesicles. It assembles into a ring in the plane of the ER membrane to create a distinct domain. Its lumenal portion collects and sorts folded cargoes while its cytoplasmic domains collar COPII coats, recruit retrograde COPI-coated membranes that fuse within the TANGO1 ring, thus opening a tunnel for cargo transfer from the ER into a growing export conduit. This mode of cargo transfer bypasses the need for vesicular intermediates and is used to export the most abundant and bulky cargoes. The evolution of TANGO1 and its activities defines the difference between yeast and animal early secretory pathways.

Unscrambling exit site patterns on the endoplasmic reticulum as a quenched demixing process

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a vital organelle in mammalian cells with a complex morphology. Consisting of sheet-like cisternae in the cell center, the peripheral ER forms a vast tubular network on which a dispersed pattern of a few hundred specialized domains (ER exit sites (ERESs)) is maintained. Molecular details of cargo sorting and vesicle formation at individual ERESs, fueling the early secretory pathway, have been studied in some detail. The emergence of spatially extended ERES patterns, however, has remained poorly understood. Here, we show that these patterns are determined by the underlying ER morphology, suggesting ERESs to emerge from a demixing process that is quenched by the ER network topology. In particular, we observed fewer but larger ERESs when transforming the ER network to more sheet-like morphologies. In contrast, little to no changes with respect to native ERES patterns were observed when fragmenting the ER, indicating that hampering the diffusion-mediated coarse graining of domains is key for native ERES patterns. Model simulations support the notion of effective diffusion barriers impeding the coarse graining and maturation of ERES patterns. We speculate that tuning a simple demixing mechanism by the ER topology allows for a robust but flexible adaption of ERES patterns, ensuring a properly working early secretory pathway in a variety of conditions.

Tunnels for Protein Export from the Endoplasmic Reticulum

The functions of coat protein complex II (COPII) coats in cargo packaging and the creation of vesicles at the endoplasmic reticulum are conserved in eukaryotic protein secretion. Standard COPII vesicles, however, cannot handle the secretion of metazoan-specific cargoes such as procollagens, apolipoproteins, and mucins. Metazoans have thus evolved modules centered on proteins like TANGO1 (transport and Golgi organization 1) to engage COPII coats and early secretory pathway membranes to engineer a novel mode of cargo export at the endoplasmic reticulum.

Export Control: Post-transcriptional Regulation of the COPII Trafficking Pathway

The coat protein complex II (COPII) mediates forward trafficking of protein and lipid cargoes from the endoplasmic reticulum. COPII is an ancient and essential pathway in all eukaryotes and COPII dysfunction underlies a range of human diseases. Despite this broad significance, major aspects of COPII trafficking remain incompletely understood. For example, while the biochemical features of COPII vesicle formation are relatively well characterized, much less is known about how the COPII system dynamically adjusts its activity to changing physiologic cues or stresses. Recently, post-transcriptional mechanisms have emerged as a major mode of COPII regulation. Here, we review the current literature on how post-transcriptional events, and especially post-translational modifications, govern the COPII pathway.

Tales of the ER-Golgi Frontier: Drosophila-Centric Considerations on Tango1 Function

In the secretory pathway, the transfer of cargo from the ER to the Golgi involves dozens of proteins that localize at specific regions of the ER called ER exit sites (ERES), where cargos are concentrated preceding vesicular transport to the Golgi. Despite many years of research, we are missing crucial details of how this highly dynamic ER-Golgi interface is defined, maintained and functions. Mechanisms allowing secretion of large cargos such as the very abundant collagens are also poorly understood. In this context, Tango1, discovered in the fruit fly Drosophila and widely conserved in animal evolution, has received a lot of attention in recent years. Tango1, an ERES-localized transmembrane protein, is the single fly member of the MIA/cTAGE family, consisting in humans of TANGO1 and at least 14 different related proteins. After its discovery in flies, a specific role of human TANGO1 in mediating secretion of collagens was reported. However, multiple studies in Drosophila have demonstrated that Tango1 is required for secretion of all cargos. At all ERES, through self-interaction and interactions with other proteins, Tango1 aids ERES maintenance and tethering of post-ER membranes. In this review, we discuss discoveries on Drosophila Tango1 and put them in relation with research on human MIA/cTAGE proteins. In doing so, we aim to offer an integrated view of Tango1 function and the nature of ER-Golgi transport from an evolutionary perspective.

Mitotic ER exit site dynamics: insights into blockade of secretion from the ER during mitosis

How ER exit sites disassemble during mitosis is not well understood. Transport ANd Golgi Organization 1 (TANGO1, also known as MIA3), a cargo receptor originally identified for collagens, acts as a hub for ER exit site disassembly under the control of Casein Kinase 1 (CK1)-mediated phosphorylation and Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1)-mediated dephosphorylation. Impaired dephosphorylation during mitosis induces ER exit site disassembly.