Structural basis for the interaction between the Golgi reassembly-stacking protein GRASP65 and the Golgi matrix protein GM130

GDNF improves the cognitive ability of PD mice by promoting glycosylation and membrane distribution of DAT

The core of clinic treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is to enhance dopamine (DA) signaling within the brain. The regulation of dopamine transporter (DAT) is integral to this process. This study aims to explore the regulatory mechanism of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on DAT, thereby gaining a profound understanding its potential value in treating PD. In this study, we investigated the effects of GDNF on both cellular and mouse models of PD, including the glycosylation and membrane transport of DAT detected by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting, DA signal measured by neurotransmitter fiber imaging technology, Golgi morphology observed by electron microscopic, as well as cognitive ability assessed by behavior tests. This study revealed that in animal trials, MPTP-induced Parkinson's Disease (PD) mice exhibited a marked decline in cognitive function. Utilizing ELISA and neurotransmitter fiber imaging techniques, we observed a decrease in dopamine levels and a significant reduction in the intensity of dopamine signal release in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of PD mice induced by MPTP. Intriguingly, these alterations were reversed by Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF). In cellular experiments, following MPP + intervention, there was a decrease in Gly-DAT modification in both the cell membrane and cytoplasm, coupled with an increase in Nongly-DAT expression and aggregation of DAT within the cytoplasm. Conversely, GDNF augmented DAT glycosylation and facilitated its membrane transport in damaged dopaminergic neurons, concurrently reversing the effects of GRASP65 depletion and Golgi fragmentation, thereby reducing the accumulation of DAT in the Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, overexpression of GRASP65 enhanced DAT transport in PD cells and mice, while suppression of GRASP65 attenuated the efficacy of GDNF on DAT. Additionally, GDNF potentiated the reutilization of neurotransmitters by the PFC presynaptic membrane, boosting the effective release of dopamine following a single electrical stimulation, ultimately ameliorating the cognitive impairments in PD mice.Therefore, we propose that GDNF enhances the glycosylation and membrane trafficking of DAT by facilitating the re-aggregation of the Golgi apparatus, thereby amplifying the utilization of DA signals. This ultimately leads to the improvement of cognitive abilities in PD mouse models. Our study illuminates, from a novel angle, the beneficial role of GDNF in augmenting DA utilization and cognitive function in PD, providing fresh insights into its therapeutic potential.

Evolution of the ribbon-like organization of the Golgi apparatus in animal cells

The "ribbon," a structural arrangement in which Golgi stacks connect to each other, is considered to be restricted to vertebrate cells. Although ribbon disruption is linked to various human pathologies, its functional role in cellular processes remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the evolutionary origin of the Golgi ribbon. We observe a ribbon-like architecture in the cells of several metazoan taxa suggesting its early emergence in animal evolution predating the appearance of vertebrates. Supported by AlphaFold2 modeling, we propose that the evolution of Golgi reassembly and stacking protein (GRASP) binding by golgin tethers may have driven the joining of Golgi stacks resulting in the ribbon-like configuration. Additionally, we find that Golgi ribbon assembly is a shared developmental feature of deuterostomes, implying a role in embryogenesis. Overall, our study points to the functional significance of the Golgi ribbon beyond vertebrates and underscores the need for further investigations to unravel its elusive biological roles.

Myristoylated GRASP55 dimerizes in the presence of model membranes

The Golgi Reassembly and Stacking Proteins (GRASPs) are engaged in various functions within the cell, both in unconventional secretion mechanisms and structuring and organizing the Golgi apparatus. Understanding their specific role in each situation still requires more structural and functional data at the molecular level. GRASP55 is one of the GRASP members in mammals, anchored to the membrane via the myristoylation of a Gly residue at its N-terminus. Therefore, co-translational modifications, such as myristoylation, are fundamental when considering a strategy to obtain detailed information on the interactions between GRASP55 and membranes. Despite its functional relevance, the N-terminal myristoylation has been underappreciated in the studies reported to date, compromising the previously proposed models for GRASP-membrane interactions. Here, we investigated the synergy between the presence of the membrane and the formation of oligomeric structures of myristoylated GRASP55, using a series of biophysical techniques to perform the structural characterization of the lipidated GRASP55 and its interaction with biological lipid model membranes. Our data fulfill an unexplored gap: the adequate evaluation of the presence of lipidations and lipid membranes on the structure-function dyad of GRASPs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The Uso1 globular head interacts with SNAREs to maintain viability even in the absence of the coiled-coil domain

Uso1/p115 and RAB1 tether ER-derived vesicles to the Golgi. Uso1/p115 contains a globular-head-domain (GHD), a coiled-coil (CC) mediating dimerization/tethering, and a C-terminal region (CTR) interacting with golgins. Uso1/p115 is recruited to vesicles by RAB1. Genetic studies placed Uso1 paradoxically acting upstream of, or in conjunction with RAB1 (Sapperstein et al., 1996). We selected two missense mutations in uso1 resulting in E6K and G540S in the GHD that rescued lethality of rab1-deficient Aspergillus nidulans. The mutations are phenotypically additive, their combination suppressing the complete absence of RAB1, which emphasizes the key physiological role of the GHD. In living hyphae Uso1 recurs on puncta (60 s half-life) colocalizing partially with the Golgi markers RAB1, Sed5, and GeaA/Gea1/Gea2, and totally with the retrograde cargo receptor Rer1, consistent with Uso1 dwelling in a very early Golgi compartment from which ER residents reaching the Golgi recycle back to the ER. Localization of Uso1, but not of Uso1E6K/G540S, to puncta is abolished by compromising RAB1 function, indicating that E6K/G540S creates interactions bypassing RAB1. That Uso1 delocalization correlates with a decrease in the number of Gea1 cisternae supports that Uso1-and-Rer1-containing puncta are where the protein exerts its physiological role. In S-tag-coprecipitation experiments, Uso1 is an associate of the Sed5/Bos1/Bet1/Sec22 SNARE complex zippering vesicles with the Golgi, with Uso1E6K/G540S showing a stronger association. Using purified proteins, we show that Bos1 and Bet1 bind the Uso1 GHD directly. However, Bet1 is a strong E6K/G540S-independent binder, whereas Bos1 is weaker but becomes as strong as Bet1 when the GHD carries E6K/G540S. G540S alone markedly increases GHD binding to Bos1, whereas E6K causes a weaker effect, correlating with their phenotypic contributions. AlphaFold2 predicts that G540S increases the binding of the GHD to the Bos1 Habc domain. In contrast, E6K lies in an N-terminal, potentially alpha-helical, region that sensitive genetic tests indicate as required for full Uso1 function. Remarkably, this region is at the end of the GHD basket opposite to the end predicted to interact with Bos1. We show that, unlike dimeric full-length and CTR∆ Uso1 proteins, the GHD lacking the CC/CTR dimerization domain, whether originating from bacteria or Aspergillus extracts and irrespective of whether it carries or not E6K/G540S, would appear to be monomeric. With the finding that overexpression of E6K/G540S and wild-type GHD complement uso1∆, our data indicate that the GHD monomer is capable of providing, at least partially, the essential Uso1 functions, and that long-range tethering activity is dispensable. Rather, these findings strongly suggest that the essential role of Uso1 involves the regulation of SNAREs.

Membrane compartmentalisation of the ubiquitin system

We now have a comprehensive inventory of ubiquitin system components. Understanding of any system also needs an appreciation of how components are organised together. Quantitative proteomics has provided us with a census of their relative populations in several model cell types. Here, by examining large scale unbiased data sets, we seek to identify and map those components, which principally reside on the major organelles of the endomembrane system. We present the consensus distribution of > 50 ubiquitin modifying enzymes, E2s, E3s and DUBs, that possess transmembrane domains. This analysis reveals that the ER and endosomal compartments have a diverse cast of resident E3s, whilst the Golgi and mitochondria operate with a more restricted palette. We describe key functions of ubiquitylation that are specific to each compartment and relate this to their signature complement of ubiquitin modifying components.

Structural Organization and Function of the Golgi Ribbon During Cell Division

The Golgi complex has a central role in the secretory traffic. In vertebrate cells it is generally organized in polarized stacks of cisternae that are laterally connected by membranous tubules, forming a structure known as Golgi ribbon. The steady state ribbon arrangement results from a dynamic equilibrium between formation and cleavage of the membrane tubules connecting the stacks. This balance is of great physiological relevance as the unlinking of the ribbon during G2 is required for mitotic entry. A block of this process induces a potent G2 arrest of the cell cycle, indicating that a mitotic “Golgi checkpoint” controls the correct pre-mitotic segregation of the Golgi ribbon. Then, after mitosis onset, the Golgi stacks undergo an extensive disassembly, which is necessary for proper spindle formation. Notably, several Golgi-associated proteins acquire new roles in spindle formation and mitotic progression during mitosis. Here we summarize the current knowledge about the basic principle of the Golgi architecture and its functional relationship with cell division to highlight crucial aspects that need to be addressed to help us understand the physiological significance of the ribbon and the pathological implications of alterations of this organization.

Functional Coordination among the Golgi Complex, the Centrosome and the Microtubule Cytoskeleton during the Cell Cycle

The Golgi complex of mammalian cells is organized in a ribbon-like structure often closely associated with the centrosome during interphase. Conversely, the Golgi complex assumes a fragmented and dispersed configuration away from the centrosome during mitosis. The structure of the Golgi complex and the relative position to the centrosome are dynamically regulated by microtubules. Many pieces of evidence reveal that this microtubule-mediated dynamic association between the Golgi complex and centrosome is of functional significance in cell polarization and division. Here, we summarize findings indicating how the Golgi complex and the centrosome cooperate in organizing the microtubule network for the directional protein transport and centrosome positioning required for cell polarization and regulating fundamental cell division processes.

Resurrecting Golgi proteins to grasp Golgi ribbon formation and self-association under stress

The Golgi complex is an essential organelle of the eukaryotic exocytic pathway. A subfamily of Golgi matrix proteins, called GRASPs, is central in stress-induced unconventional secretion, Golgi dynamics during mitosis/apoptosis, and Golgi ribbon formation. The Golgi ribbon is vertebrate-specific and correlates with the appearance of two GRASP paralogues and two Golgins (GM130/Golgin45), which form specific GRASP-Golgin pairs. The molecular details of their appearance only in Metazoans are unknown. Moreover, despite new functionalities supported by GRASP paralogy, little is known about their structural and evolutionary differences. Here, we used ancestor sequence reconstruction and biophysical/biochemical approaches to assess the evolution of GRASPs structure/dynamics, fibrillation, and how they started anchoring their Golgin partners. Our data showed that a GRASP ancestor anchored Golgins before gorasp gene duplication in Metazoans. After gene duplication, variations within the GRASP binding pocket determined which paralogue would recruit which Golgin. These interactions are responsible for their specific Golgi location and Golgi ribbon appearance. We also suggest that GRASPs have a long-standing capacity to form supramolecular structures, affecting their participation in stress-induced processes.

Myristoylation and its effects on the human Golgi Reassembly and Stacking Protein 55

GRASP55 is a myristoylated protein localized in the medial/trans-Golgi faces and involved in the Golgi structure maintenance and the regulation of unconventional secretion pathways. It is believed that GRASP55 achieves its main functionalities in the Golgi organization by acting as a tethering factor. When bound to the lipid bilayer, its orientation relative to the membrane surface is restricted to determine its proper trans-oligomerization. Despite the paramount role of myristoylation in GRASP function, the impact of such protein modification on the membrane-anchoring properties and the structural organization of GRASP remains elusive. Here, an optimized protocol for the myristoylation in E. coli of the membrane-anchoring domain of GRASP55 is presented. The biophysical properties of the myristoylated/non-myristoylated GRASP55 GRASP domain were characterized in a membrane-mimicking micellar environment. Although myristoylation did not cause any impact on the protein's secondary structure, according to our circular dichroism data, it had a significant impact on the protein's thermal stability and solubility. Electrophoresis of negatively charged liposomes incubated with the two GRASP55 constructions showed different electrophoretic mobility for the myristoylated anchored protein only, thus demonstrating that myristoylation is essential for the biological membrane anchoring. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to further explore the anchoring process in determining the restricted orientation of GRASPs in the membrane.

USO1 isoforms differentially promote liver cancer progression by dysregulating the ER-Golgi network

Alternative splicing of RNA transcripts plays an important role in cancer development and progression. Recent advances in RNA-seq technology have made it possible to identify alternately spliced events in various types of cancer; however, research on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still limited. Here, by performing RNA-Seq profiling of HCC transcripts at isoform level, we identified tumor-specific and molecular subtype-dependent expression of the USO1 isoforms, which we designated as a normal form USO1-N (XM_001290049) and a tumor form USO1-T (NM_003715). The expression of USO1-T, but not USO1-N, was associated with worse prognostic outcomes of HCC patients. We confirmed that the expression of USO1-T promoted an aggressive phenotype of HCC, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, structural modeling analyses revealed that USO1-T lacks an ARM10 loop encoded by exon 15, which may weaken the dimerization of USO1 and its tethering to GM130. We demonstrated that USO1-T ensured unstacking of the Golgi and accelerated the trafficking from ER to Golgi and plasma membrane in multiple liver cancer cells. ERK and GRASP65 were found to be involved in the USO1-T mediated Golgi dysfunction. Conclusively, we provide new mechanophysical insights into the USO1 isoforms that differentially regulate the ER-Golgi network, promoting the heterogeneous HCC progression.

Small GTPases of the Rab and Arf Families: Key Regulators of Intracellular Trafficking in Neurodegeneration

Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) of the Rab and Arf families are key regulators of vesicle formation and membrane trafficking. Membrane transport plays an important role in the central nervous system. In this regard, neurons require a constant flow of membranes for the correct distribution of receptors, for the precise composition of proteins and organelles in dendrites and axons, for the continuous exocytosis/endocytosis of synaptic vesicles and for the elimination of dysfunctional proteins. Thus, it is not surprising that Rab and Arf GTPases have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Both pathologies share characteristics such as the presence of protein aggregates and/or the fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus, hallmarks that have been related to both Rab and Arf GTPases functions. Despite their relationship with neurodegenerative disorders, very few studies have focused on the role of these GTPases in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. In this review, we summarize their importance in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as their emergence as potential therapeutical targets for neurodegeneration.

Computational Identification of Human Biological Processes and Protein Sequence Motifs Putatively Targeted by SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Using Protein-Protein Interaction Networks

While the COVID-19 pandemic is causing important loss of life, knowledge of the effects of the causative SARS-CoV-2 virus on human cells is currently limited. Investigating protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between viral and host proteins can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms exploited by the virus and enable the identification of potential drug targets. We therefore performed an in-depth computational analysis of the interactome of SARS-CoV-2 and human proteins in infected HEK 293 cells published by Gordon et al. (Nature2020, 583, 459-468) to reveal processes that are potentially affected by the virus and putative protein binding sites. Specifically, we performed a set of network-based functional and sequence motif enrichment analyses on SARS-CoV-2-interacting human proteins and on PPI networks generated by supplementing viral-host PPIs with known interactions. Using a novel implementation of our GoNet algorithm, we identified 329 Gene Ontology terms for which the SARS-CoV-2-interacting human proteins are significantly clustered in PPI networks. Furthermore, we present a novel protein sequence motif discovery approach, LESMoN-Pro, that identified 9 amino acid motifs for which the associated proteins are clustered in PPI networks. Together, these results provide insights into the processes and sequence motifs that are putatively implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infection and could lead to potential therapeutic targets.

The Golgi ribbon: mechanisms of maintenance and disassembly during the cell cycle

The Golgi complex (GC) has an essential role in the processing and sorting of proteins and lipids. The GC of mammalian cells is composed of stacks of cisternae connected by membranous tubules to create a continuous network, the Golgi ribbon, whose maintenance requires several core and accessory proteins. Despite this complex structural organization, the Golgi apparatus is highly dynamic, and this property becomes particularly evident during mitosis, when the ribbon undergoes a multistep disassembly process that allows its correct partitioning and inheritance by the daughter cells. Importantly, alterations of the Golgi structure are associated with a variety of physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we review the core mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in both the maintenance and disassembly of the Golgi ribbon, and we also report on the signaling pathways that connect the disassembly of the Golgi ribbon to mitotic entry and progression.

Conformational flexibility of GRASPs and their constituent PDZ subdomains reveals structural basis of their promiscuous interactome

The Golgi complex is a central component of the secretory pathway, responsible for several critical cellular functions in eukaryotes. The complex is organized by the Golgi matrix that includes the Golgi reassembly and stacking protein (GRASP), which was shown to be involved in cisternae stacking and lateral linkage in metazoan. GRASPs also have critical roles in other processes, with an unusual ability to interact with several different binding partners. The conserved N terminus of the GRASP family includes two PSD-95, DLG, and ZO-1 (PDZ) domains. Previous crystallographic studies of orthologues suggest that PDZ1 and PDZ2 have similar conformations and secondary structure content. However, PDZ1 alone mediates nearly all interactions between GRASPs and their partners. In this work, NMR, synchrotron radiation CD, and molecular dynamics (MD) were used to examine the structure, flexibility, and stability of the two constituent PDZ domains. GRASP PDZs are structured in an unusual β₃ α₁ β₄ β₅ α₂ β₆ β₁ β₂ secondary structural arrangement and NMR data indicate that the PDZ1 binding pocket is formed by a stable β₂ -strand and a more flexible and unstable α₂ -helix, suggesting an explanation for the higher PDZ1 promiscuity. The conformational free energy profiles of the two PDZ domains were calculated using MD simulations. The data suggest that, after binding, the protein partner significantly reduces the conformational space that GRASPs can access by stabilizing one particular conformation, in a partner-dependent fashion. The structural flexibility of PDZ1, modulated by PDZ2, and the coupled, coordinated movement between the two PDZs enable GRASPs to interact with multiple partners, allowing them to function as promiscuous, multitasking proteins.

New Insights Into the Golgi Stacking Proteins

The Golgi stacking proteins, GRASP55 and GRASP65, are best known for their roles in Golgi structure formation. These peripheral Golgi proteins form trans-oligomers that hold the flat cisternal membranes into stacks. Depletion of both GRASP proteins in cells disrupts the Golgi stack structure, increases protein trafficking, but impairs accurate glycosylation, and sorting. Golgi unstacking by GRASPs depletion also reduces cell adhesion and migration in an integrin-dependent manner. In addition to Golgi structure formation and regulation of cellular activities, GRASPs, in particular GRASP55, have recently drawn attention in their roles in autophagy, and unconventional secretion. In autophagy, GRASP55 senses the energy level by O-GlcNAcylation, which regulates GRASP55 translocation from the Golgi to the autophagosome-lysosome interface, where it interacts with LC3 and LAMP2 to facilitate autophagosome-lysosome fusion. This newly discovered function of GRASP55 in autophagy may help explain its role in the stress-induced, autophagosome-dependent unconventional secretion. In this review, we summarize the emerging functions of the GRASP proteins, focusing on their roles in cell adhesion and migration, autophagy, unconventional secretion, as well as on novel GRASP-interacting proteins.

Unconventional secretion factor GRASP55 is increased by pharmacological unfolded protein response inducers in neurons

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), defined as ER stress, results in activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR activation is commonly observed in neurodegenerative diseases. ER stress can trigger unconventional secretion mediated by Golgi reassembly and stacking proteins (GRASP) relocalization in cell lines. Here we study the regulation of GRASP55 by the UPR upon pharmacological induction of ER stress in primary mouse neurons. We demonstrate that UPR activation induces mRNA and protein expression of GRASP55, but not GRASP65, in cortical neurons. UPR activation does not result in relocalization of GRASP55. UPR-induced GRASP55 expression is reduced by inhibition of the PERK pathway of the UPR and abolished by inhibition of the endonuclease activity of the UPR transducer IRE1. Expression of the IRE1 target XBP1s in the absence of ER stress is not sufficient to increase GRASP55 expression. Knockdown of GRASP55 affects neither induction nor recovery of the UPR. We conclude that the UPR regulates the unconventional secretion factor GRASP55 via a mechanism that requires the IRE1 and the PERK pathway of the UPR in neurons.

Golgi Structure and Function in Health, Stress, and Diseases

The Golgi apparatus is a central intracellular membrane-bound organelle with key functions in trafficking, processing, and sorting of newly synthesized membrane and secretory proteins and lipids. To best perform these functions, Golgi membranes form a unique stacked structure. The Golgi structure is dynamic but tightly regulated; it undergoes rapid disassembly and reassembly during the cell cycle of mammalian cells and is disrupted under certain stress and pathological conditions. In the past decade, significant amount of effort has been made to reveal the molecular mechanisms that regulate the Golgi membrane architecture and function. Here we review the major discoveries in the mechanisms of Golgi structure formation, regulation, and alteration in relation to its functions in physiological and pathological conditions to further our understanding of Golgi structure and function in health and diseases.

A sophisticated, differentiated Golgi in the ancestor of eukaryotes

BACKGROUND

The Golgi apparatus is a central meeting point for the endocytic and exocytic systems in eukaryotic cells, and the organelle's dysfunction results in human disease. Its characteristic morphology of multiple differentiated compartments organized into stacked flattened cisternae is one of the most recognizable features of modern eukaryotic cells, and yet how this is maintained is not well understood. The Golgi is also an ancient aspect of eukaryotes, but the extent and nature of its complexity in the ancestor of eukaryotes is unclear. Various proteins have roles in organizing the Golgi, chief among them being the golgins.

RESULTS

We address Golgi evolution by analyzing genome sequences from organisms which have lost stacked cisternae as a feature of their Golgi and those that have not. Using genomics and immunomicroscopy, we first identify Golgi in the anaerobic amoeba Mastigamoeba balamuthi. We then searched 87 genomes spanning eukaryotic diversity for presence of the most prominent proteins implicated in Golgi structure, focusing on golgins. We show some candidates as animal specific and others as ancestral to eukaryotes.

CONCLUSIONS

None of the proteins examined show a phyletic distribution that correlates with the morphology of stacked cisternae, suggesting the possibility of stacking as an emergent property. Strikingly, however, the combination of golgins conserved among diverse eukaryotes allows for the most detailed reconstruction of the organelle to date, showing a sophisticated Golgi with differentiated compartments and trafficking pathways in the common eukaryotic ancestor.

Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid-Induced Fragmentation of Golgi Apparatus as a Biocompatibility Marker

In vitro biocompatibility assessments that consider physiologically appropriate conditions of cell exposure to peritoneal dialysis fluids (PDFs) are still awaited. In this study, we found that fragmentation of Golgi apparatus occurred in a pH-dependent manner within 30-min exposure to five distinct commercially available PDFs, which showed no marked difference in their effects on cell viability in the conventional MTT assay. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of labeling antibody against cis-Golgi protein GM130 indicated that the stacked cisternal structure was maintained in the perinuclear area of both M199 culture medium and a neutral-pH PDF groups. However, this specific structure became partially disassembled over time even in a neutral-pH PDF, and fragmentation was markedly enhanced in cells exposed to neutralized-pH PDFs in correspondence with their intracellular pH; moreover, in acidic PDFs, Golgi staining was diffuse and scattered in the entire cytoplasm and showed partial aggregation. The Golgi fragmentation markedly observed with the neutralized PDFs could be reversed by replacing either the media with a neutral-pH medium or a mixture of PDF and PD effluent (PDF) in a gradient manner mimicking clinical conditions. Furthermore, although weaker than pH effect, notable effects of other PDF-related factors were also observed after 30-min exposure to pH-adjusted PDFs. Lastly, the results of studies conducted using MAPK/SAPK inhibitors indicated that the mechanism underlying the Golgi fragmentation described here differs from that associated with the fragmentation that occurs at the G2/M checkpoint in the cell cycle. We conclude that Golgi fragmentation is suitable for rapid biocompatibility assessment of PDF not only because of its strong pH dependence but also because the fragmentation is recognizably affected by PDF constituents.

Golgi structure formation, function, and post-translational modifications in mammalian cells

The Golgi apparatus is a central membrane organelle for trafficking and post-translational modifications of proteins and lipids in cells. In mammalian cells, it is organized in the form of stacks of tightly aligned flattened cisternae, and dozens of stacks are often linked laterally into a ribbon-like structure located in the perinuclear region of the cell. Proper Golgi functionality requires an intact architecture, yet Golgi structure is dynamically regulated during the cell cycle and under disease conditions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the relationship between Golgi structure formation, function, and regulation, with focus on how post-translational modifications including phosphorylation and ubiquitination regulate Golgi structure and on how Golgi unstacking affects its functions, in particular, protein trafficking, glycosylation, and sorting in mammalian cells.

Structural Basis for the Interaction between Golgi Reassembly-stacking Protein GRASP55 and Golgin45

Golgin45 is required for normal Golgi structure and the transportation of protein from the ER. It forms a specific complex with GRASP55 in vivo Little is known regarding the molecular details of this interaction and its structural role in stacking of the Golgi complex. Here, we present the crystal structure of the GRASP domains of GRASP55 in complex with the Golgin45 C-terminal peptide, determined at 1.33 Å resolution. Similar to the structure of GRASP65 bound to GM130 reported recently, this structure reveals more than one interacting site and involves both PDZ1 and PDZ2 domains of the GRASP simultaneously. The C-terminal peptides of Golgin45 and GM130 present a conserved PDZ domain binding motif sequence and recognize the canonical PDZ-peptide binding groove of the PDZ1 domains of GRASP55 and GRASP65. A main difference in this recognition process resides in a structural rearrangement of GRASP65-GM130 that does not occur for the GRASP55-Golgin45 complex. The binding site at the cleft between the PDZ1 and PDZ2 domains of GRASP65 is dominated by hydrophobic interactions with GM130 that are not observed in the GRASP55-Golgin45 complex. In addition, a unique zinc finger structure is revealed in the GRASP55-Golgin45 complex crystal structure. Mutagenesis experiments support these structural observations and demonstrate that two of these sites are required to form a stable complex. Finally, a novel Golgi stacking model is proposed according to these structural findings.

Glycosylation Quality Control by the Golgi Structure

Glycosylation is a ubiquitous modification that occurs on proteins and lipids in all living cells. Consistent with their high complexity, glycans play crucial biological roles in protein quality control and recognition events. Asparagine-linked protein N-glycosylation, the most complex glycosylation, initiates in the endoplasmic reticulum and matures in the Golgi apparatus. This process not only requires an accurate distribution of processing machineries, such as glycosyltransferases, glycosidases, and nucleotide sugar transporters, but also needs an efficient and well-organized factory that is responsible for the fidelity and quality control of sugar chain processing. In addition, accurate glycosylation must occur in coordination with protein trafficking and sorting. These activities are carried out by the Golgi apparatus, a membrane organelle in the center of the secretory pathway. To accomplish these tasks, the Golgi has developed into a unique stacked structure of closely aligned, flattened cisternae in which Golgi enzymes reside; in mammalian cells, dozens of Golgi stacks are often laterally linked into a ribbon-like structure. Here, we review our current knowledge of how the Golgi structure is formed and why its formation is required for accurate glycosylation, with the focus on how the Golgi stacking factors GRASP55 and GRASP65 generate the Golgi structure and how the conserved oligomeric Golgi complex maintains Golgi enzymes in different Golgi subcompartments by retrograde protein trafficking.

New structural insights into Golgi Reassembly and Stacking Protein (GRASP) in solution

Among all proteins localized in the Golgi apparatus, a two-PDZ (PSD95/DlgA/Zo-1) domain protein plays an important role in the assembly of the cisternae. This Golgi Reassembly and Stacking Protein (GRASP) has puzzled researchers due to its large array of functions and relevance in Golgi functionality. We report here a biochemical and biophysical study of the GRASP55/65 homologue in Cryptococcus neoformans (CnGRASP). Bioinformatic analysis, static fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies, calorimetry, small angle X-ray scattering, solution nuclear magnetic resonance, size exclusion chromatography and proteolysis assays were used to unravel structural features of the full-length CnGRASP. We detected the coexistence of regular secondary structures and large amounts of disordered regions. The overall structure is less compact than a regular globular protein and the high structural flexibility makes its hydrophobic core more accessible to solvent. Our results indicate an unusual behavior of CnGRASP in solution, closely resembling a class of intrinsically disordered proteins called molten globule proteins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first structural characterization of a full-length GRASP and observation of a molten globule-like behavior in the GRASP family. The possible implications of this and how it could explain the multiple facets of this intriguing class of proteins are discussed.

GRASP: A Multitasking Tether

Originally identified as Golgi stacking factors in vitro, the Golgi reassembly stacking protein (GRASP) family has been shown to act as membrane tethers with multiple cellular roles. As an update to previous comprehensive reviews of the GRASP family (Giuliani et al., 2011; Vinke et al., 2011; Jarvela and Linstedt, 2012), we outline here the latest findings concerning their diverse roles. New insights into the mechanics of GRASP-mediated tethering come from recent crystal structures. The models of how GRASP65 and GRASP55 tether membranes relate directly to their role in Golgi ribbon formation in mammalian cells and the unlinking of the ribbon at the onset of mitosis. However, it is also clear that GRASPs act outside the Golgi with roles at the ER and ER exit sites (ERES). Furthermore, the proteins of this family display other roles upon cellular stress, especially in mediating unconventional secretion of both transmembrane proteins (Golgi bypass) and cytoplasmic proteins (through secretory autophagosomes).

GRASPs in Golgi Structure and Function

The Golgi apparatus is a central intracellular membrane organelle for trafficking and modification of proteins and lipids. Its basic structure is a stack of tightly aligned flat cisternae. In mammalian cells, dozens of stacks are concentrated in the pericentriolar region and laterally connected to form a ribbon. Despite extensive research in the last decades, how this unique structure is formed and why its formation is important for proper Golgi functioning remain largely unknown. The Golgi ReAssembly Stacking Proteins, GRASP65, and GRASP55, are so far the only proteins shown to function in Golgi stacking. They are peripheral membrane proteins on the cytoplasmic face of the Golgi cisternae that form trans-oligomers through their N-terminal GRASP domain, and thereby function as the “glue” to stick adjacent cisternae together into a stack and to link Golgi stacks into a ribbon. Depletion of GRASPs in cells disrupts the Golgi structure and results in accelerated protein trafficking and defective glycosylation. In this minireview we summarize our current knowledge on how GRASPs function in Golgi structure formation and discuss why Golgi structure formation is important for its function.