1
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Weeratunga S, Gormal RS, Liu M, Eldershaw D, Livingstone EK, Malapaka A, Wallis TP, Bademosi AT, Jiang A, Healy MD, Meunier FA, Collins BM. Interrogation and validation of the interactome of neuronal Munc18-interacting Mint proteins with AlphaFold2. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105541. [PMID: 38072052 PMCID: PMC10820826 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Munc18-interacting proteins (Mints) are multidomain adaptors that regulate neuronal membrane trafficking, signaling, and neurotransmission. Mint1 and Mint2 are highly expressed in the brain with overlapping roles in the regulation of synaptic vesicle fusion required for neurotransmitter release by interacting with the essential synaptic protein Munc18-1. Here, we have used AlphaFold2 to identify and then validate the mechanisms that underpin both the specific interactions of neuronal Mint proteins with Munc18-1 as well as their wider interactome. We found that a short acidic α-helical motif within Mint1 and Mint2 is necessary and sufficient for specific binding to Munc18-1 and binds a conserved surface on Munc18-1 domain3b. In Munc18-1/2 double knockout neurosecretory cells, mutation of the Mint-binding site reduces the ability of Munc18-1 to rescue exocytosis, and although Munc18-1 can interact with Mint and Sx1a (Syntaxin1a) proteins simultaneously in vitro, we find that they have mutually reduced affinities, suggesting an allosteric coupling between the proteins. Using AlphaFold2 to then examine the entire cellular network of putative Mint interactors provides a structural model for their assembly with a variety of known and novel regulatory and cargo proteins including ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF3/ARF4) small GTPases and the AP3 clathrin adaptor complex. Validation of Mint1 interaction with a new predicted binder TJAP1 (tight junction-associated protein 1) provides experimental support that AlphaFold2 can correctly predict interactions across such large-scale datasets. Overall, our data provide insights into the diversity of interactions mediated by the Mint family and show that Mints may help facilitate a key trigger point in SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor) complex assembly and vesicle fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroja Weeratunga
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rachel S Gormal
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Meihan Liu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Denaye Eldershaw
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Emma K Livingstone
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anusha Malapaka
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tristan P Wallis
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adekunle T Bademosi
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anmin Jiang
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael D Healy
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Frederic A Meunier
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett M Collins
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
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2
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Stefani I, Iwaszkiewicz J, Fasshauer D. Exploring the conformational changes of the Munc18-1/syntaxin 1a complex. Protein Sci 2023; 33:e4870. [PMID: 38109275 PMCID: PMC10895456 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters are released from synaptic vesicles, the membrane of which fuses with the plasma membrane upon calcium influx. This membrane fusion reaction is driven by the formation of a tight complex comprising the plasma membrane N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins syntaxin-1a and SNAP-25 with the vesicle SNARE protein synaptobrevin. The neuronal protein Munc18-1 forms a stable complex with syntaxin-1a. Biochemically, syntaxin-1a cannot escape the tight grip of Munc18-1, so formation of the SNARE complex is inhibited. However, Munc18-1 is essential for the release of neurotransmitters in vivo. It has therefore been assumed that Munc18-1 makes the bound syntaxin-1a available for SNARE complex formation. Exactly how this occurs is still unclear, but it is assumed that structural rearrangements occur. Here, we used a series of mutations to specifically weaken the complex at different positions in order to induce these rearrangements biochemically. Our approach was guided through sequence and structural analysis and supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Subsequently, we created a homology model showing the complex in an altered conformation. This conformation presumably represents a more open arrangement of syntaxin-1a that permits the formation of a SNARE complex to be initiated while still bound to Munc18-1. In the future, research should investigate how this central reaction for neuronal communication is controlled by other proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Stefani
- Department of Computational BiologyUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | | | - Dirk Fasshauer
- Department of Computational BiologyUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
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3
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Gengyo-Ando K, Tateyama M, Mitani S, Ando H, Nakai J. A humanized Caenorhabditis elegans model for studying pathogenic mutations in VPS45, a protein essential for membrane trafficking, associated with severe congenital neutropenia. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.001052. [PMID: 38089934 PMCID: PMC10714219 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
VPS45, one of the essential membrane trafficking factors, has been identified as a cause of severe congenital neutropenia 5 (SCN5), but its pathophysiological role remains unknown. Here, we developed a humanized C. elegans model for three pathogenic VPS45 variants. We found that wild-type human VPS45 functionally complemented the loss of C. elegans VPS-45 , and the pathogenic human VPS45 variants functioned almost normally with respect to larval development and endocytosis in C. elegans . These results suggest that SCN5-associated mutations have little effect on the core function of VPS45, and/or that the degree of VPS45 requirement varies, depending on the cell/tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Gengyo-Ando
- Oral Physiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Minoru Tateyama
- Oral Physiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Shohei Mitani
- Physiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Ando
- Oral Physiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Junichi Nakai
- Oral Physiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan
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4
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Wang X, Gong J, Zhu L, Chen H, Jin Z, Mo X, Wang S, Yang X, Ma C. Identification of residues critical for the extension of Munc18-1 domain 3a. BMC Biol 2023; 21:158. [PMID: 37443000 PMCID: PMC10347870 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01655-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurotransmitter release depends on the fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane and is mainly mediated by SNARE complex assembly. During the transition of Munc18-1/Syntaxin-1 to the SNARE complex, the opening of the Syntaxin-1 linker region catalyzed by Munc13-1 leads to the extension of the domain 3a hinge loop, which enables domain 3a to bind SNARE motifs in Synaptobrevin-2 and Syntaxin-1 and template the SNARE complex assembly. However, the exact mechanism of domain 3a extension remains elusive. RESULTS Here, we characterized residues on the domain 3a hinge loop that are crucial for the extension of domain 3a by using biophysical and biochemical approaches and electrophysiological recordings. We showed that the mutation of residues T323/M324/R325 disrupted Munc13-1-mediated SNARE complex assembly and membrane fusion starting from Munc18-1/Syntaxin-1 in vitro and caused severe defects in the synaptic exocytosis of mouse cortex neurons in vivo. Moreover, the mutation had no effect on the binding of Synaptobrevin-2 to isolated Munc18-1 or the conformational change of the Syntaxin-1 linker region catalyzed by the Munc13-1 MUN domain. However, the extension of the domain 3a hinge loop in Munc18-1/Syntaxin-1 was completely disrupted by the mutation, leading to the failure of Synaptobrevin-2 binding to Munc18-1/Syntaxin-1. CONCLUSIONS Together with previous results, our data further support the model that the template function of Munc18-1 in SNARE complex assembly requires the extension of domain 3a, and particular residues in the domain 3a hinge loop are crucial for the autoinhibitory release of domain 3a after the MUN domain opens the Syntaxin-1 linker region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianping Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization, College of Life Sciences, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, China
| | - Jihong Gong
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Le Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huidan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziqi Jin
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Mo
- Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Shen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaofei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - Cong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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5
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Beuder S, Lara‐Mondragón C, Dorchak A, MacAlister CA. SEC1A is a major Arabidopsis Sec1/Munc18 gene in vesicle trafficking during pollen tube tip growth. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 110:1353-1369. [PMID: 35306707 PMCID: PMC9322465 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pollen tubes (PTs) grow by the targeted secretion of new cell wall material to their expanding tip region. Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins promote membrane fusion through regulation of the SNARE complex. We have previously shown that disruption of protein glycosylation in the Arabidopsis thaliana hpat1 hpat3 double mutant leads to PT growth defects that can be suppressed by reducing secretion. Here, we identified five point mutant alleles of the SM protein SEC1A as hpat1/3 suppressors. The suppressors increased seed set, reduced PT growth defects and reduced the rate of glycoprotein secretion. In the absence of the hpat mutations, sec1a reduced pollen germination and PT elongation producing shorter and wider PTs. Consistent with a defect in membrane fusion, sec1a PTs accumulated secretory vesicles. Though sec1a had significantly reduced male transmission, homozygous sec1a plants maintained full seed set, demonstrating that SEC1A was ultimately dispensable for pollen fertility. However, when combined with a mutation in another SEC1-like SM gene, keule, pollen fertility was totally abolished. Mutation in sec1b, the final member of the Arabidopsis SEC1 clade, did not enhance the sec1a phenotype. Thus, SEC1A is the major SM protein promoting pollen germination and tube elongation, but in its absence KEULE can partially supply this activity. When we examined the expression of the SM protein family in other species for which pollen expression data were available, we found that at least one Sec1-like protein was highly expressed in pollen samples, suggesting a conserved role in pollen fertility in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Beuder
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Cecilia Lara‐Mondragón
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Alexandria Dorchak
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Cora A. MacAlister
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
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6
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Eisemann TJ, Allen F, Lau K, Shimamura GR, Jeffrey PD, Hughson FM. The Sec1/Munc18 protein Vps45 holds the Qa-SNARE Tlg2 in an open conformation. eLife 2020; 9:e60724. [PMID: 32804076 PMCID: PMC7470827 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusion of intracellular trafficking vesicles is mediated by the assembly of SNARE proteins into membrane-bridging complexes. SNARE-mediated membrane fusion requires Sec1/Munc18-family (SM) proteins, SNARE chaperones that can function as templates to catalyze SNARE complex assembly. Paradoxically, the SM protein Munc18-1 traps the Qa-SNARE protein syntaxin-1 in an autoinhibited closed conformation. Here we present the structure of a second SM-Qa-SNARE complex, Vps45-Tlg2. Strikingly, Vps45 holds Tlg2 in an open conformation, with its SNARE motif disengaged from its Habc domain and its linker region unfolded. The domain 3a helical hairpin of Vps45 is unfurled, exposing the presumptive R-SNARE binding site to allow template complex formation. Although Tlg2 has a pronounced tendency to form homo-tetramers, Vps45 can rescue Tlg2 tetramers into stoichiometric Vps45-Tlg2 complexes. Our findings demonstrate that SM proteins can engage Qa-SNAREs using at least two different modes, one in which the SNARE is closed and one in which it is open.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis J Eisemann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Frederick Allen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Kelly Lau
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | | | - Philip D Jeffrey
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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7
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Morey C, Kienle CN, Klöpper TH, Burkhardt P, Fasshauer D. Evidence for a conserved inhibitory binding mode between the membrane fusion assembly factors Munc18 and syntaxin in animals. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:20449-20460. [PMID: 29046354 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.811182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane fusion necessary for vesicle trafficking is driven by the assembly of heterologous SNARE proteins orchestrated by the binding of Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins to specific syntaxin SNARE proteins. However, the precise mode of interaction between SM proteins and SNAREs is debated, as contrasting binding modes have been found for different members of the SM protein family, including the three vertebrate Munc18 isoforms. While different binding modes could be necessary, given their roles in different secretory processes in different tissues, the structural similarity of the three isoforms makes this divergence perplexing. Although the neuronal isoform Munc18a is well-established to bind tightly to both the closed conformation and the N-peptide of syntaxin 1a, thereby inhibiting SNARE complex formation, Munc18b and -c, which have a more widespread distribution, are reported to mainly interact with the N-peptide of their partnering syntaxins and are thought to instead promote SNARE complex formation. We have reinvestigated the interaction between Munc18c and syntaxin 4 (Syx4). Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we found that Munc18c, like Munc18a, binds to both the closed conformation and the N-peptide of Syx4. Furthermore, using a novel kinetic approach, we found that Munc18c, like Munc18a, slows down SNARE complex formation through high-affinity binding to syntaxin. This strongly suggests that secretory Munc18s in general control the accessibility of the bound syntaxin, probably preparing it for SNARE complex assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Czuee Morey
- From the Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Université de Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C Nickias Kienle
- From the Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Université de Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tobias H Klöpper
- Whitehat Life Sciences Ltd., 20 Wenlock Road, N1 7GU London, United Kingdom, and
| | - Pawel Burkhardt
- the Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill Marine Laboratory, Plymouth PL1 2PB, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Fasshauer
- From the Département des neurosciences fondamentales, Université de Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland,
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8
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Oleaga A, Obolo-Mvoulouga P, Manzano-Román R, Pérez-Sánchez R. A proteomic insight into the midgut proteome of Ornithodoros moubata females reveals novel information on blood digestion in argasid ticks. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:366. [PMID: 28764815 PMCID: PMC5540513 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2300-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata is the main African vector of the human relapsing fever agent Borrelia duttoni and the African swine fever virus. Together with saliva, the tick midgut forms part of the host-tick-pathogen interface, and numerous midgut proteins play key functions in the blood digestion-related process and the infection and transmission of pathogens. This work explores the composition of the midgut proteome of unfed and fed O. moubata females with the aim to complete the biological information already obtained from the midgut transcriptome and provide a more robust and comprehensive perspective of this biological system. Methods Midgut tissues taken from females before feeding and 48 h after feeding were subjected to LC/MS-MS analysis. After functional characterization and classification of the proteins identified, the differences in the proteome between unfed and fed females were analysed and discussed. Additionally, a detailed analysis of particular groups of proteins that are involved in the processes of nutrient digestion and responses to the oxidative stress was carried out. Results 1491 non-redundant tick proteins were identified: 1132 of them in the midgut of unfed ticks, 1138 in the midgut of fed ticks, and up to 779 shared by both physiological conditions. Overall, the comparative analysis of the midgut proteomes of O. moubata females before and after feeding did not reveal great differences in the number or class of proteins expressed, enzymatic composition or functional classification. Conclusions The hemoglobinolytic system in ixodids and argasids is very similar in spite of the fact that they display very different feeding and reproductive strategies. Although the main source of nutrients in ticks are proteins, lipids and carbohydrates also constitute significant nutritional sources and play an important part in the process of blood digestion. The genes and proteins involved in intracellular transport mechanisms, defensive responses, detoxifying responses and stress responses seem to be closely regulated, highlighting the complexity and importance of these processes in tick biology, which in turn assigns them a great interest as targets for therapeutic and immunological interventions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2300-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Oleaga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Prosper Obolo-Mvoulouga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
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9
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Sitarska E, Xu J, Park S, Liu X, Quade B, Stepien K, Sugita K, Brautigam CA, Sugita S, Rizo J. Autoinhibition of Munc18-1 modulates synaptobrevin binding and helps to enable Munc13-dependent regulation of membrane fusion. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28477408 PMCID: PMC5464772 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Munc18-1 orchestrates SNARE complex assembly together with Munc13-1 to mediate neurotransmitter release. Munc18-1 binds to synaptobrevin, but the relevance of this interaction and its relation to Munc13 function are unclear. NMR experiments now show that Munc18-1 binds specifically and non-specifically to synaptobrevin. Specific binding is inhibited by a L348R mutation in Munc18-1 and enhanced by a D326K mutation designed to disrupt the ‘furled conformation’ of a Munc18-1 loop. Correspondingly, the activity of Munc18-1 in reconstitution assays that require Munc18-1 and Munc13-1 for membrane fusion is stimulated by the D326K mutation and inhibited by the L348R mutation. Moreover, the D326K mutation allows Munc13-1-independent fusion and leads to a gain-of-function in rescue experiments in Caenorhabditis elegans unc-18 nulls. Together with previous studies, our data support a model whereby Munc18-1 acts as a template for SNARE complex assembly, and autoinhibition of synaptobrevin binding contributes to enabling regulation of neurotransmitter release by Munc13-1. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24278.001 Nerve cells communicate with other nerve cells by releasing small molecules called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters are first packaged inside bubble-like structures called vesicles, which fuse with the membrane of the nerve cell when it is stimulated. Once the vesicle and membrane have fused, the neurotransmitters are released outside the nerve cell and are detected when they bind to proteins on the surface of other nearby nerve cells. A machinery of different proteins controls membrane fusion. Amongst these proteins are five called Munc18-1, Munc13-1, syntaxin-1, synaptobrevin and SNAP-25. The last three form a tight bundle called SNARE complex that brings the vesicle and cell membrane together and is essential for the two to fuse. Munc18-1 and Munc13-1 orchestrate the assembly of the SNARE complex. Previous studies suggested that Munc18-1 binds to synaptobrevin, providing a template to bring syntaxin-1 and synaptobrevin together and thereby helping the SNARE complex to form. However, the importance of the interaction between Munc18-1 and synaptobrevin was not clearly established, and it was not known how Munc13-1 is involved. Sitarska, Xu et al. have now measured how mutated versions of Munc18-1 bind to synaptobrevin and tested how the mutations affect membrane fusion. A mutation in Munc18-1 that increased binding to synaptobrevin increased membrane fusion too, while a mutation that decreased binding had the opposite effect and reduced fusion. The results support the idea that Munc18-1 provides a template for the SNARE complex to form. One mutation stimulated Munc18-1 so that Munc13-1 was no longer needed for fusion when the mutant Munc18-1 was tested in fusion assays with artificial membranes. This mutation was designed to perturb the structure of a region of Munc18-1 protein that normally inhibits the binding of synaptobrevin. These results suggest that by adopting a state where it cannot bind synaptobrevin, Munc18-1 can only be stimulated to form the SNARE complex and trigger release of neurotransmitter when Munc13-1 is present. This provides a way for Munc13-1, which is regulated by many factors, to fine-tune the release of neurotransmitter. Future work will test whether these proteins work in the same way in living animals. This will help us understand how communication between neurons is finely controlled to enable the brain to carry out its many different tasks. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24278.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Sitarska
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Junjie Xu
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Seungmee Park
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Bradley Quade
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Karolina Stepien
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Kyoko Sugita
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chad A Brautigam
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Shuzo Sugita
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
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10
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Pan YZ, Quade B, Brewer KD, Szabo M, Swarbrick JD, Graham B, Rizo J. Sequence-specific assignment of methyl groups from the neuronal SNARE complex using lanthanide-induced pseudocontact shifts. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2016; 66:281-293. [PMID: 27988858 PMCID: PMC5216067 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-016-0078-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Neurotransmitter release depends critically on the neuronal SNARE complex formed by syntaxin-1, SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin, as well as on other proteins such as Munc18-1, Munc13-1 and synaptotagmin-1. Although three-dimensional structures are available for these components, it is still unclear how they are assembled between the synaptic vesicle and plasma membranes to trigger fast, Ca2+-dependent membrane fusion. Methyl TROSY NMR experiments provide a powerful tool to study complexes between these proteins, but assignment of the methyl groups of the SNARE complex is hindered by its limited solubility. Here we report the assignment of the isoleucine, leucine, methionine and valine methyl groups of the four SNARE motifs of syntaxin-1, SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin within the SNARE complex based solely on measurements of lanthanide-induced pseudocontact shifts. Our results illustrate the power of this approach to assign protein resonances without the need of triple resonance experiments and provide an invaluable tool for future structural studies of how the SNARE complex binds to other components of the release machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Zu Pan
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Bradley Quade
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kyle D Brewer
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Monika Szabo
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - James D Swarbrick
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Bim Graham
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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11
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Archbold JK, Whitten AE, Hu SH, Collins BM, Martin JL. SNARE-ing the structures of Sec1/Munc18 proteins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2014; 29:44-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 09/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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12
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Colbert KN, Hattendorf DA, Weiss TM, Burkhardt P, Fasshauer D, Weis WI. Syntaxin1a variants lacking an N-peptide or bearing the LE mutation bind to Munc18a in a closed conformation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:12637-42. [PMID: 23858467 PMCID: PMC3732934 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1303753110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In neurons, soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins drive the fusion of synaptic vesicles to the plasma membrane through the formation of a four-helix SNARE complex. Members of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family regulate membrane fusion through interactions with the syntaxin family of SNARE proteins. The neuronal protein Munc18a interacts with a closed conformation of the SNARE protein syntaxin1a (Syx1a) and with an assembled SNARE complex containing Syx1a in an open conformation. The N-peptide of Syx1a (amino acids 1-24) has been implicated in the transition of Munc18a-bound Syx1a to Munc18a-bound SNARE complex, but the underlying mechanism is not understood. Here we report the X-ray crystal structures of Munc18a bound to Syx1a with and without its native N-peptide (Syx1aΔN), along with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data for Munc18a bound to Syx1a, Syx1aΔN, and Syx1a L165A/E166A (LE), a mutation thought to render Syx1a in a constitutively open conformation. We show that all three complexes adopt the same global structure, in which Munc18a binds a closed conformation of Syx1a. We also identify a possible structural connection between the Syx1a N-peptide and SNARE domain that might be important for the transition of closed-to-open Syx1a in SNARE complex assembly. Although the role of the N-peptide in Munc18a-mediated SNARE complex assembly remains unclear, our results demonstrate that the N-peptide and LE mutation have no effect on the global conformation of the Munc18a-Syx1a complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen N. Colbert
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Douglas A. Hattendorf
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Thomas M. Weiss
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Pawel Burkhardt
- Structural Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; and
| | - Dirk Fasshauer
- Structural Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; and
- Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - William I. Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
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13
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Baker RW, Jeffrey PD, Hughson FM. Crystal Structures of the Sec1/Munc18 (SM) Protein Vps33, Alone and Bound to the Homotypic Fusion and Vacuolar Protein Sorting (HOPS) Subunit Vps16*. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67409. [PMID: 23840694 PMCID: PMC3693963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular membrane fusion requires the regulated assembly of SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor) proteins anchored in the apposed membranes. To exert the force required to drive fusion between lipid bilayers, juxtamembrane SNARE motifs zipper into four-helix bundles. Importantly, SNARE function is regulated by additional factors, none more extensively studied than the SM (Sec1/Munc18-like) proteins. SM proteins interact with both individual SNAREs and SNARE complexes, likely chaperoning SNARE complex formation and protecting assembly intermediates from premature disassembly by NSF. Four families of SM proteins have been identified, and representative members of two of these families (Sec1/Munc18 and Sly1) have been structurally characterized. We report here the 2.6 Å resolution crystal structure of an SM protein from the third family, Vps33. Although Vps33 shares with the first two families the same basic three-domain architecture, domain 1 is displaced by 15 Å, accompanied by a 40° rotation. A unique feature of the Vps33 family of SM proteins is that its members function as stable subunits within a multi-subunit tethering complex called HOPS (homotypic fusion and vacuolar protein sorting). Integration into the HOPS complex depends on the interaction between Vps33 and a second HOPS subunit, Vps16. The crystal structure of Vps33 bound to a C-terminal portion of Vps16, also at 2.6 Å resolution, reveals the structural basis for this interaction. Despite the extensive interface between the two HOPS subunits, the conformation of Vps33 is only subtly affected by binding to Vps16.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W. Baker
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Philip D. Jeffrey
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Frederick M. Hughson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Karnik R, Grefen C, Bayne R, Honsbein A, Köhler T, Kioumourtzoglou D, Williams M, Bryant NJ, Blatt MR. Arabidopsis Sec1/Munc18 protein SEC11 is a competitive and dynamic modulator of SNARE binding and SYP121-dependent vesicle traffic. THE PLANT CELL 2013; 25:1368-82. [PMID: 23572542 PMCID: PMC3663274 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.112.108506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The Arabidopsis thaliana Qa-SNARE SYP121 (=SYR1/PEN1) drives vesicle traffic at the plasma membrane of cells throughout the vegetative plant. It facilitates responses to drought, to the water stress hormone abscisic acid, and to pathogen attack, and it is essential for recovery from so-called programmed stomatal closure. How SYP121-mediated traffic is regulated is largely unknown, although it is thought to depend on formation of a fusion-competent SNARE core complex with the cognate partners VAMP721 and SNAP33. Like SYP121, the Arabidopsis Sec1/Munc18 protein SEC11 (=KEULE) is expressed throughout the vegetative plant. We find that SEC11 binds directly with SYP121 both in vitro and in vivo to affect secretory traffic. Binding occurs through two distinct modes, one requiring only SEC11 and SYP121 and the second dependent on assembly of a complex with VAMP721 and SNAP33. SEC11 competes dynamically for SYP121 binding with SNAP33 and VAMP721, and this competition is predicated by SEC11 association with the N terminus of SYP121. These and additional data are consistent with a model in which SYP121-mediated vesicle fusion is regulated by an unusual "handshaking" mechanism of concerted SEC11 debinding and rebinding. They also implicate one or more factors that alter or disrupt SEC11 association with the SYP121 N terminus as an early step initiating SNARE complex formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rucha Karnik
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Grefen
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Bayne
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Annegret Honsbein
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Köhler
- Botanical Institute, University of Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dimitrios Kioumourtzoglou
- Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Williams
- American Society of Plant Biologists, Rockville, Maryland 20855
| | - Nia J. Bryant
- Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R. Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
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15
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Han GA, Malintan NT, Saw NMN, Li L, Han L, Meunier FA, Collins BM, Sugita S. Munc18-1 domain-1 controls vesicle docking and secretion by interacting with syntaxin-1 and chaperoning it to the plasma membrane. Mol Biol Cell 2011; 22:4134-49. [PMID: 21900502 PMCID: PMC3204074 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e11-02-0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Munc18-1 plays pleiotropic roles in neurosecretion by acting as 1) a molecular chaperone of syntaxin-1, 2) a mediator of dense-core vesicle docking, and 3) a priming factor for soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor-mediated membrane fusion. However, how these functions are executed and whether they are correlated remains unclear. Here we analyzed the role of the domain-1 cleft of Munc18-1 by measuring the abilities of various mutants (D34N, D34N/M38V, K46E, E59K, K46E/E59K, K63E, and E66A) to bind and chaperone syntaxin-1 and to restore the docking and secretion of dense-core vesicles in Munc18-1/-2 double-knockdown cells. We identified striking correlations between the abilities of these mutants to bind and chaperone syntaxin-1 with their ability to restore vesicle docking and secretion. These results suggest that the domain-1 cleft of Munc18-1 is essential for binding to syntaxin-1 and thereby critical for its chaperoning, docking, and secretory functions. Our results demonstrate that the effect of the alleged priming mutants (E59K, D34N/M38V) on exocytosis can largely be explained by their reduced syntaxin-1-chaperoning functions. Finally, our data suggest that the intracellular expression and distribution of syntaxin-1 determines the level of dense-core vesicle docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayoung A Han
- Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, University Health Network, Toronto ON M5T 2S8, Canada
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16
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Xu Y, Seven AB, Su L, Jiang QX, Rizo J. Membrane bridging and hemifusion by denaturated Munc18. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22012. [PMID: 21765933 PMCID: PMC3130787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal Munc18-1 and members of the Sec1/Munc18 (SM) protein family play a critical function(s) in intracellular membrane fusion together with SNARE proteins, but the mechanism of action of SM proteins remains highly enigmatic. During experiments designed to address this question employing a 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) fluorescence de-quenching assay that is widely used to study lipid mixing between reconstituted proteoliposomes, we observed that Munc18-1 from squid (sMunc18-1) was able to increase the apparent NBD fluorescence emission intensity even in the absence of SNARE proteins. Fluorescence emission scans and dynamic light scattering experiments show that this phenomenon arises at least in part from increased light scattering due to sMunc18-1-induced liposome clustering. Nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism data suggest that, although native sMunc18-1 does not bind significantly to lipids, sMunc18-1 denaturation at 37°C leads to insertion into membranes. The liposome clustering activity of sMunc18-1 can thus be attributed to its ability to bridge two membranes upon (perhaps partial) denaturation; correspondingly, this activity is hindered by addition of glycerol. Cryo-electron microscopy shows that liposome clusters induced by sMunc18-1 include extended interfaces where the bilayers of two liposomes come into very close proximity, and clear hemifusion diaphragms. Although the physiological relevance of our results is uncertain, they emphasize the necessity of complementing fluorescence de-quenching assays with alternative experiments in studies of membrane fusion, as well as the importance of considering the potential effects of protein denaturation. In addition, our data suggest a novel mechanism of membrane hemifusion induced by amphipathic macromolecules that does not involve formation of a stalk intermediate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alpay B. Seven
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lijing Su
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Qiu-Xing Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Xu Y, Su L, Rizo J. Binding of Munc18-1 to synaptobrevin and to the SNARE four-helix bundle. Biochemistry 2010; 49:1568-76. [PMID: 20102228 DOI: 10.1021/bi9021878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins and soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) form part of the core intracellular membrane fusion machinery, but it is unclear how they cooperate in membrane fusion. The synaptic vesicle SNARE synaptobrevin and the plasma membrane SNAREs syntaxin-1 and SNAP-25 assemble into a tight SNARE complex that includes a four-helix bundle formed by their SNARE motifs and is key for fusion. The neuronal SM protein Munc18-1 binds to syntaxin-1 and to the SNARE complex through interactions with the syntaxin-1 N-terminal region that are critical for neurotransmitter release. It has been proposed that Munc18-1 also binds to synaptobrevin and to the SNARE four-helix bundle and that such interactions might be crucial for membrane fusion, but definitive, direct evidence of these interactions has not been described. Using diverse biophysical approaches, we now demonstrate that Munc18-1 indeed binds to synaptobrevin and to the SNARE four-helix bundle. Both interactions have similar affinities (in the low micromolar range) and appear to involve the same cavity of Munc18-1 that binds to syntaxin-1. Correspondingly, the N-terminal region of syntaxin-1 competes with the SNARE four-helix bundle and synaptobrevin for Munc18-1 binding. Importantly, the Munc18-1 binding site on synaptobrevin is located at the C-terminus of its SNARE motif, suggesting that this interaction places Munc18-1 right at the site where fusion occurs. These results suggest a model in which neurotransmitter release involves a sequence of three different types of Munc18-1-SNARE interactions and in which Munc18-1 plays a direct, active role in membrane fusion in cooperation with the SNAREs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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18
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Jewell JL, Oh E, Thurmond DC. Exocytosis mechanisms underlying insulin release and glucose uptake: conserved roles for Munc18c and syntaxin 4. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2010; 298:R517-31. [PMID: 20053958 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00597.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes has been coined "a two-hit disease," as it involves specific defects of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells in addition to defects in peripheral tissue insulin action required for glucose uptake. Both of these processes, insulin secretion and glucose uptake, are mediated by SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) protein core complexes composed of syntaxin, SNAP-23/25, and VAMP proteins. The SNARE core complex is regulated by the Sec1/Munc18 (SM) family of proteins, which selectively bind to their cognate syntaxin isoforms with high affinity. The process of insulin secretion uses multiple Munc18-syntaxin isoform pairs, whereas insulin action in the peripheral tissues appears to use only the Munc18c-syntaxin 4 pair. Importantly, recent reports have linked obesity and Type 2 diabetes in humans with changes in protein levels and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Munc18 and syntaxin isoforms relevant to these exocytotic processes, although the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes remain incomplete (5, 104, 144). Given the conservation of these proteins in two seemingly disparate processes and the need to design and implement novel and more effective clinical interventions, it will be vitally important to delineate the mechanisms governing these conserved SNARE-mediated exocytosis events. Thus, we provide here an up-to-date historical review of advancements in defining the roles and molecular mechanisms of Munc18-syntaxin complexes in the pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L Jewell
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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19
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Hashizume K, Cheng YS, Hutton JL, Chiu CH, Carr CM. Yeast Sec1p functions before and after vesicle docking. Mol Biol Cell 2009; 20:4673-85. [PMID: 19776355 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e09-02-0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins bind cognate soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes and stimulate vesicle membrane fusion. Before fusion, vesicles are docked to specific target membranes. Regulation of vesicle docking is attributed to some but not all SM proteins, suggesting specialization of this earlier function. Yeast Sec1p seems to function only after vesicles are docked and SNARE complexes are assembled. Here, we show that yeast Sec1p is required before and after SNARE complex assembly, in support of general requirements for SM proteins in both vesicle docking and fusion. Two classes of sec1 mutants were isolated. Class A mutants are tightly blocked in cell growth and secretion at a step before SNARE complex assembly. Class B mutants have a SNARE complex binding defect, with a range in severity of cell growth and secretion defects. Mapping the mutations onto an SM protein structure implicates a peripheral bundle of helices for the early, docking function and a deep groove, opposite the syntaxin-binding cleft on nSec1/Munc-18, for the interaction between Sec1p and the exocytic SNARE complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Hashizume
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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20
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The N-terminal peptide of the syntaxin Tlg2p modulates binding of its closed conformation to Vps45p. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:14303-8. [PMID: 19667197 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0902976106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sec1/Munc18 (SM) protein family regulates intracellular trafficking through interactions with individual SNARE proteins and assembled SNARE complexes. Revealing a common mechanism of this regulation has been challenging, largely because of the multiple modes of interaction observed between SM proteins and their cognate syntaxin-type SNAREs. These modes include binding of the SM to a closed conformation of syntaxin, binding to the N-terminal peptide of syntaxin, binding to assembled SNARE complexes, and/or binding to nonsyntaxin SNAREs. The SM protein Vps45p, which regulates endosomal trafficking in yeast, binds the conserved N-terminal peptide of the syntaxin Tlg2p. We used size exclusion chromatography and a quantitative fluorescent gel mobility shift assay to reveal an additional binding site that does not require the Tlg2p N-peptide. Characterization of Tlg2p mutants and truncations indicate that this binding site corresponds to a closed conformation of Tlg2p. Furthermore, the Tlg2p N-peptide competes with the closed conformation for binding, suggesting a fundamental regulatory mechanism for SM-syntaxin interactions in SNARE assembly and membrane fusion.
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21
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The carboxy-terminal domain of complexin I stimulates liposome fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:2001-6. [PMID: 19179400 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0812813106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated exocytosis requires tight coupling of the membrane fusion machinery to a triggering signal and a fast response time. Complexins are part of this regulation and, together with synaptotagmins, control calcium-dependent exocytosis. Stimulatory and inhibitory functions have been reported for complexins. To test if complexins directly affect membrane fusion, we analyzed the 4 known mammalian complexin isoforms in a reconstituted fusion assay. In contrast to complexin III (CpxIII) and CpxIV, CpxI and CpxII stimulated soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)-pin assembly and membrane fusion. This stimulatory effect required a preincubation at low temperature and was specific for neuronal t-SNAREs. Stimulation of membrane fusion was lost when the carboxy-terminal domain of CpxI was deleted or serine 115, a putative phosphorylation site, was mutated. Transfer of the carboxy-terminal domain of CpxI to CpxIII resulted in a stimulatory CpxIII-I chimera. Thus, the carboxy-terminal domains of CpxI and CpxII promote the fusion of high-curvature liposomes.
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22
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Wang MC, Peng ZY, Li CL, Li F, Liu C, Xia GM. Proteomic analysis on a high salt tolerance introgression strain of Triticum aestivum/Thinopyrum ponticum. Proteomics 2008; 8:1470-89. [PMID: 18383010 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200700569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Soil salinity is a major abiotic constraint to agricultural productivity. We successfully bred a new common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) introgression variety (Shanrong No. 3) with high salt-tolerance via asymmetric somatic hybridization between common wheat cultivar (Jinan 177) and UV-irradiated Agropyron elongatum (Thinopyrum ponticum Podp). We report here a comparative proteomic analysis to investigate variety-specific and salt-responsive proteins between seedling-roots of Shanrong No. 3 and Jinan 177. In total, 114 spots reproducibly presented differential expression patterns on 2-DE maps. Of them, 34 were variety-specific and 49 were salt-responsive. We identified 110 spots by MALDI-TOF MS and partially confirmed by MALDI-TOF-TOF MS, and functionally classified them into signal transduction, transcription and translation, transporting, chaperones, proteolysis and detoxification, etc. Meanwhile, we also found the alteration of protein expression of Shanrong No. 3 through inhibition of old proteins and production of novel ones, change in abundance and sensitivity of some nonsalt-responsive and salt-responsive proteins, as well as PTMs. Furthermore, comparison between proteome and transcripteome using cDNA microarray showed that there were only 20 proteins with abundances correlative to signal densities of corresponding EST probes. This study gives us a global insight into proteomic difference between Shanrong No. 3 and Jinan 177 in constitute and to salt-response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Cheng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
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23
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A gain-of-function mutant of Munc18-1 stimulates secretory granule recruitment and exocytosis and reveals a direct interaction of Munc18-1 with Rab3. Biochem J 2008; 409:407-16. [PMID: 17919117 DOI: 10.1042/bj20071094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Munc18-1 plays a crucial role in regulated exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells through modulation of vesicle docking and membrane fusion. The molecular basis for Munc18 function is still unclear, as are the links with Rabs and SNARE [SNAP (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein) receptor] proteins that are also required. Munc18-1 can bind to SNAREs through at least three modes of interaction, including binding to the closed conformation of syntaxin 1. Using a gain-of-function mutant of Munc18-1 (E466K), which is based on a mutation in the related yeast protein Sly1p, we have identified a direct interaction of Munc18-1 with Rab3A, which is increased by the mutation. Expression of Munc18-1 with the E466K mutation increased exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells and PC12 cells (pheochromocytoma cells) and was found to increase the density of secretory granules at the periphery of PC12 cells, suggesting a stimulatory effect on granule recruitment through docking or tethering. Both the increase in exocytosis and changes in granule distribution appear to require Munc18-1 E466K binding to the closed form of syntaxin 1, suggesting a role for this interaction in bridging Rab- and SNARE-mediated events in exocytosis.
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24
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Hu SH, Latham CF, Gee CL, James DE, Martin JL. Structure of the Munc18c/Syntaxin4 N-peptide complex defines universal features of the N-peptide binding mode of Sec1/Munc18 proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:8773-8. [PMID: 17517664 PMCID: PMC1885578 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0701124104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sec1/Munc18 proteins (SM proteins) bind to soluble NSF attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) and play an essential role in membrane fusion. Divergent modes of regulation have been proposed for different SM proteins indicating that they can either promote or inhibit SNARE assembly. This is in part because of discrete modes of binding that have been described for various SM/SNARE complexes. One mode suggests that SM proteins bind only to Syntaxins (Stx) preventing SNARE assembly, whereas in another they facilitate SNARE assembly and bind to SNARE complexes. The mammalian cell surface SM protein Munc18c binds to an N-peptide in Stx4, and this is compatible with its interaction with SNARE complexes. Here we describe the crystal structure of Munc18c in complex with the Stx4 N-peptide. This structure shows remarkable similarity with a yeast complex indicating that the mode of binding, which can accommodate SNARE complexes, is highly conserved throughout evolution. Modeling reveals the presence of the N-peptide binding mode in most but not all yeast and mammalian SM/Stx pairs, suggesting that it has coevolved to fulfill a specific regulatory function. It is unlikely that the N-peptide interaction alone accounts for the specificity in SM/SNARE binding, implicating other contact surfaces in this function. Together with other data, our results support a sequential two-state model for SM/SNARE binding involving an initial interaction via the Stx N-peptide, which somehow facilitates a second, more comprehensive interaction comprising other contact surfaces in both proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Hong Hu
- *Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; and
| | - Catherine F. Latham
- *Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; and
| | - Christine L. Gee
- *Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; and
| | - David E. James
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Road, Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia
| | - Jennifer L. Martin
- *Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; and
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25
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Chen K, Huang X, Bao Z, Gaisano H. Characterization of VAMP-2 gene from marine teleostean, Lateolabrax japonicus. SCIENCE IN CHINA. SERIES C, LIFE SCIENCES 2007; 49:591-6. [PMID: 17312998 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-006-2035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The whole length SPV2 gene of 715 bp, encoding VAMP-2 protein of 110 amino acids from Japanese sea perch, Lateolabrax japonicus, was obtained by using both RT-PCR and anchored PCR strategies while we initiated the structural and functional study on SNARE proteins in marine teleostean. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that SPV2 has its core arginine residue, a potential N-linked glycosylation site near its N-terminal, and one transmembrane domain in its C-terminal. Advanced structural analysis of bioinformatics approach predicts a coiled-coil alpha-helix backbone as the characteristic of SPV2 main conformational structure, identical to the structure of rat VAMP-2 obtained by crystallography. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed that SPV2 was generally expressed in 10 neural and non-neural tissues, with the highest concentration in brain and the least in muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Chen
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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26
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Rickman C, Medine CN, Bergmann A, Duncan RR. Functionally and spatially distinct modes of munc18-syntaxin 1 interaction. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:12097-103. [PMID: 17264080 PMCID: PMC1891423 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m700227200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic membrane trafficking is a conserved process under tight temporal and spatial regulation in which the fusion of membranes is driven by the formation of the ternary SNARE complex. Syntaxin 1a, a core component of the exocytic SNARE complex in neurons and neuroendocrine cells, is regulated directly by munc18-1, its cognate Sec1p/munc18 (SM) protein. SM proteins show remarkable structural conservation throughout evolution, indicating a common binding mechanism and function. However, SM proteins possess disparate binding mechanisms and regulatory effects with munc18-1, the major brain isoform, classed as atypical in both its binding specificity and its mode. We now show that munc18-1 interacts with syntaxin 1a through two mechanistically distinct modes of binding, both in vitro and in living cells, in contrast to current models. Furthermore, these functionally divergent interactions occur at distinct cellular locations. These findings provide a molecular explanation for the multiple, spatially distinct roles of munc18-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Rickman
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Claire N. Medine
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Axel Bergmann
- Becker & Hickl GmbH, Nahmitzer Damm 30, 12277 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rory R. Duncan
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
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27
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Latham CF, Meunier FA. Munc18a: Munc-y business in mediating exocytosis. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2006; 39:1576-81. [PMID: 17196873 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2006.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2006] [Revised: 11/16/2006] [Accepted: 11/18/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The precise sequence of molecular events underlying release of neurotransmitter in neurons is yet to be fully understood. This process, called exocytosis, is tightly controlled by a number of protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions. One such regulatory factor is Munc18a, a cytosolic protein characterized by its interaction with the molecular machinery of exocytosis, primarily with the target SNARE protein, syntaxin1a. While Munc18a interactions have been extensively investigated for more than a decade, the role of Munc18a in vesicular fusion is still not fully defined. In this review, we discuss: (i) the recent analysis of the role of Munc18a in tethering and docking, (ii) the known structural and (iii) functional data surrounding Munc18a interactions with numerous other proteins of the exocytic machinery. Integration of Munc18a regulation by phosphorylation and lipids and the apparent complexity of its pleiotropic functional interactions is critical to deciphering Munc18a's role in exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine F Latham
- Molecular Dynamics of Synaptic Function Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
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28
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Carpp LN, Ciufo LF, Shanks SG, Boyd A, Bryant NJ. The Sec1p/Munc18 protein Vps45p binds its cognate SNARE proteins via two distinct modes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 173:927-36. [PMID: 16769821 PMCID: PMC3215948 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200512024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sec1p/Munc18 (SM) proteins are essential for SNARE-mediated membrane trafficking. The formulation of unifying hypotheses for the function of the SM protein family has been hampered by the observation that two of its members bind their cognate syntaxins (Sxs) in strikingly different ways. The SM protein Vps45p binds its Sx Tlg2p in a manner analogous to that captured by the Sly1p–Sed5p crystal structure, whereby the NH2-terminal peptide of the Sx inserts into a hydrophobic pocket on the outer face of domain I of the SM protein. In this study, we report that although this mode of interaction is critical for the binding of Vps45p to Tlg2p, the SM protein also binds Tlg2p-containing SNARE complexes via a second mode that involves neither the NH2 terminus of Tlg2p nor the region of Vps45p that facilitates this interaction. Our findings point to the possibility that SM proteins interact with their cognate SNARE proteins through distinct mechanisms at different stages in the SNARE assembly/disassembly cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay N Carpp
- Henry Wellcome Laboratory of Cell Biology, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom
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29
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Schlaepfer IR, Pulawa LK, Eckel RH. Cloning and characterization of Munc18c(L), a novel murine Munc18c gene paralog. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005; 334:911-6. [PMID: 16036223 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.06.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2005] [Accepted: 06/27/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We have identified and characterized a new mouse gene sequence, Munc18c(L), that appears closely related to the syntaxin-binding protein, Munc18c. The novel Munc18c(L) gene is comprised of 2 exons separated by a 600bp intron sequence with non-consensus donor and acceptor sites. Exons 1 and 2 of Munc18c(L) overlap with exons 1 through half of 9 of the Munc18c gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of Munc18c(L) is 271 amino acids long with homology to Munc18c protein ending at position 250. RT-PCR of murine tissues showed expression of Munc18c(L) in various tissues. RT-PCR carried out with a primer spanning the ATG codon and another one specific for the exon 2 of Munc18c(L) revealed two different transcripts of 0.8 and 1.4kbp in length. Using 5'-RACE, the start of Munc18c(L) exon 1 matches the one predicted for Munc18c, but the proximal promoter differ. This first identification of Munc18c(L) is vital in differentiating between Munc18c(L) and Munc18c and their potential roles in insulin-mediated glucose uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R Schlaepfer
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO, USA
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Araç D, Dulubova I, Pei J, Huryeva I, Grishin NV, Rizo J. Three-dimensional Structure of the rSly1 N-terminal Domain Reveals a Conformational Change Induced by Binding to Syntaxin 5. J Mol Biol 2005; 346:589-601. [PMID: 15670607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2004] [Revised: 12/01/2004] [Accepted: 12/01/2004] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Sec1/Mun18-like (SM) proteins and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) play central roles in intracellular membrane fusion. Diverse modes of interaction between SM proteins and SNAREs from the syntaxin family have been described. However, the observation that the N-terminal domains of Sly1 and Vps45, the SM proteins involved in traffic at the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi, the trans-Golgi network and the endosomes, bind to similar N-terminal sequences of their cognate syntaxins suggested a unifying theme for SM protein/SNARE interactions in most internal membrane compartments. To further understand this mechanism of SM protein/SNARE coupling, we have elucidated the structure in solution of the isolated N-terminal domain of rat Sly1 (rSly1N) and analyzed its complex with an N-terminal peptide of rat syntaxin 5 by NMR spectroscopy. Comparison with the crystal structure of a complex between Sly1p and Sed5p, their yeast homologues, shows that syntaxin 5 binding requires a striking conformational change involving a two-residue shift in the register of the C-terminal beta-strand of rSly1N. This conformational change is likely to induce a significant alteration in the overall shape of full-length rSly1 and may be critical for its function. Sequence analyses indicate that this conformational change is conserved in the Sly1 family but not in other SM proteins, and that the four families represented by the four SM proteins found in yeast (Sec1p, Sly1p, Vps45p and Vps33p) diverged early in evolution. These results suggest that there are marked distinctions between the mechanisms of action of each of the four families of SM proteins, which may have arisen from different regulatory requirements of traffic in their corresponding membrane compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demet Araç
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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31
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Ciufo LF, Barclay JW, Burgoyne RD, Morgan A. Munc18-1 regulates early and late stages of exocytosis via syntaxin-independent protein interactions. Mol Biol Cell 2004; 16:470-82. [PMID: 15563604 PMCID: PMC545880 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e04-08-0685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sec1/Munc18 (SM) proteins are involved in various intracellular membrane trafficking steps. Many SM proteins bind to appropriate syntaxin homologues involved in these steps, suggesting that SM proteins function as syntaxin chaperones. Organisms with mutations in SM genes, however, exhibit defects in either early (docking) or late (fusion) stages of exocytosis, implying that SM proteins may have multiple functions. To gain insight into the role of SM proteins, we introduced mutations modeled on those identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae into mammalian Munc18-1. As expected, several mutants exhibited reduced binding to syntaxin1A. However, three mutants displayed wild-type syntaxin binding affinities, indicating syntaxin-independent defects. Expression of these mutants in chromaffin cells either increased the rate and extent of exocytosis or altered the kinetics of individual release events. This latter effect was associated with a reduced Mint binding affinity in one mutant, implying a potential mechanism for the observed alteration in release kinetics. Furthermore, this phenotype persisted when the mutation was combined with a second mutation that greatly reduced syntaxin binding affinity. These results clarify the data on the function of SM proteins in mutant organisms and indicate that Munc18-1 controls multiple stages of exocytosis via both syntaxin-dependent and -independent protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonora F Ciufo
- The Physiological Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom
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32
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Shompole S, Jasmer DP. Haemonchus contortus UNC-18 binds to Caenorhabditis elegans neuronal syntaxin. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2003; 130:55-9. [PMID: 14550897 DOI: 10.1016/s0166-6851(03)00136-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sankale Shompole
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA
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33
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Abstract
The Sec1-Munc18 (SM) proteins are required for cellular exocytosis, but their mechanistic function remains poorly understood. We examined SM-syntaxin complexes in human platelets, which are terminally differentiated, anuclear cells that secrete the contents of their intracellular granules through syntaxin 2- and syntaxin 4-dependent mechanisms. Munc18a, Munc18b, and Munc18c were detected in human platelets by immunoblotting and/or PCR. The SM proteins and syntaxin 2 were found in the membrane and cytosolic fractions of cells, whereas syntaxin 4 was detected only in the membrane. Platelet membranes contain Munc18c-syntaxin 4 complexes, but minimal if any Munc18c-syntaxin 2 complexes were found. No significant amounts of Munc18a or Munc18b complexes were seen with either syntaxin. Munc18c-syntaxin 4 complexes were dissociated when cells were activated to secrete. Two potential inhibitors of Munc18c-syntaxin 4 complexes were generated to examine whether complex dissociation may lead to exocytosis. Peptides that mimic the projected intermolecular contact sites of Munc18c with syntaxin enhanced Ca2+-triggered dense granule exocytosis in permeabilized cells. Similarly, an anti-Munc18c monoclonal antibody that inhibited the Munc18c-syntaxin complex potently amplified Ca2+-induced platelet granule secretion. In summary, Munc18 proteins bind to specific syntaxin isoforms in platelets despite the presence of other potential binding partners. Acute inhibition of the SM-syntaxin complex promotes Ca2+-induced exocytosis, suggesting that complex formation per se has a regulatory effect on triggered secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiilyan Houng
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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34
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Dulubova I, Yamaguchi T, Arac D, Li H, Huryeva I, Min SW, Rizo J, Sudhof TC. Convergence and divergence in the mechanism of SNARE binding by Sec1/Munc18-like proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:32-7. [PMID: 12506202 PMCID: PMC140874 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.232701299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2002] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sec1Munc18-like (SM) proteins functionally interact with soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) in membrane fusion, but the mechanisms of these interactions differ. In vertebrates, SM proteins that mediate exocytosis (Munc18-1, 18-2, and 18c) bind to the closed conformation of syntaxins 1-4, which requires the N-terminal H(abc) domains and SNARE motifs of these syntaxins. In contrast, SM proteins that mediate Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum fusion (Sly1 and Vps45) bind only to short N-terminal sequences of syntaxins 5, 16, or 18, independently of their H(abc) domains and SNARE motifs. We now show that Munc18-1, Sly1, and Vps45 interact with cognate syntaxins via similar, autonomously folded N-terminal domains, but the syntaxin 5-binding surface of the Sly1 N-terminal domain is opposite to the syntaxin 1-binding surface of the Munc18-1 N-terminal domain. In transfected cells, the N-terminal domain of Sly1 specifically disrupts the structure of the Golgi complex, supporting the notion that the interaction of Sly1 with syntaxin 5 is essential for fusion. These data, together with previous results, suggest that a relatively small N-terminal domain of SM proteins is dedicated to mechanistically distinct interactions with SNAREs, leaving the remaining large parts of SM proteins free to execute their as yet unknown function as effector domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Dulubova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas 75390, USA
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35
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Bracher A, Weissenhorn W. Structural basis for the Golgi membrane recruitment of Sly1p by Sed5p. EMBO J 2002; 21:6114-24. [PMID: 12426383 PMCID: PMC137200 DOI: 10.1093/emboj/cdf608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2002] [Accepted: 09/24/2002] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytosolic Sec1/munc18-like proteins (SM proteins) are recruited to membrane fusion sites by interaction with syntaxin-type SNARE proteins, constituting indispensable positive regulators of intracellular membrane fusion. Here we present the crystal structure of the yeast SM protein Sly1p in complex with a short N-terminal peptide derived from the Golgi-resident syntaxin Sed5p. Sly1p folds, similarly to neuronal Sec1, into a three-domain arch-shaped assembly, and Sed5p interacts in a helical conformation predominantly with domain I of Sly1p on the opposite site of the nSec1/syntaxin-1-binding site. Sequence conservation of the major interactions suggests that homologues of Sly1p as well as the paralogous Vps45p group bind their respective syntaxins in the same way. Furthermore, we present indirect evidence that nSec1 might be able to contact syntaxin 1 in a similar fashion. The observed Sly1p-Sed5p interaction mode therefore indicates how SM proteins can stay associated with the assembling fusion machinery in order to participate in late fusion steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bracher
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, France
Corresponding authors e-mail: or
| | - Winfried Weissenhorn
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, France
Corresponding authors e-mail: or
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36
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Rizo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.
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37
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Brunger AT. Structural insights into the molecular mechanism of calcium-dependent vesicle-membrane fusion. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2001; 11:163-73. [PMID: 11297924 DOI: 10.1016/s0959-440x(00)00186-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The fusion of vesicles with target membranes is controlled by a complex network of protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions. Recently determined structures of the SNARE complex, synaptotagmin III, nSec1, domains of the NSF chaperone and its adaptor (SNAP), and Rab3 and some of its effectors provide the framework for developing molecular models of vesicle fusion and for designing experiments to test these models. Ultimately, knowledge of the structures of higher-order complexes and their dynamic behavior will be required to obtain a full understanding of the vesicle fusion protein machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Brunger
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Bracher A, Weissenhorn W. Crystal structures of neuronal squid Sec1 implicate inter-domain hinge movement in the release of t-SNAREs. J Mol Biol 2001; 306:7-13. [PMID: 11178889 DOI: 10.1006/jmbi.2000.4347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sec1 molecules associate with t-SNAREs from the syntaxin family in a heterodimeric complex that plays an essential role in vesicle transport and membrane fusion. Neuronal rat n-Sec1 has an arch-shaped three-domain structure, which binds syntaxin 1a through contacts in domains 1 and 3. In both rat nSec1 and homologous squid s-Sec1, a potential effector-molecule binding-pocket is shaped by residues from domains 1 and 2 and is localized on the opposite side of the syntaxin 1a interaction site. Comparison of several crystal forms of unliganded neuronal squid Sec1 indicates a hinge region between domains 1 and 2 which allows domain 1 to rotate along a central axis. This movement could release syntaxin 1a upon interaction with a yet unspecified Sec1 effector molecule(s). The binding of an effector protein may also directly affect the conformation of the helical hairpin of domain 3, which contributes the other significant syntaxin 1a binding sites in the rat nSec1/syntaxin 1a complex structure but adopts multiple conformations in the unliganded s-Sec1 structures reported here.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bracher
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), 6 rue Jules Horowitz, Grenoble, 38000, France
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39
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Abstract
The fusion of intracellular vesicles with their target membranes is an essential feature of the compartmental structure of eukaryotic cells. This process requires proteins that dictate the targeting of a vesicle to the correct cellular location, mediate bilayer fusion and, in some systems, regulate the precise time at which fusion occurs. Recent biophysical and structural studies of these proteins have begun to provide a foundation for understanding their functions at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Misura
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5126, USA
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