Structure of Golgi transport proteins

V-ATPase V0a1 promotes Weibel-Palade body biogenesis through the regulation of membrane fission

Membrane fission, the division of a membrane-bound structure into two discrete compartments, is essential for diverse cellular events, such as endocytosis and vesicle/granule biogenesis; however, the process remains unclear. The hemostatic protein von Willebrand factor is produced in vascular endothelial cells and packaged into specialized secretory granules, Weibel–Palade bodies (WPBs) at the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Here, we reported that V0a1, a V-ATPase component, is required for the membrane fission of WPBs. We identified two V0a isoforms in distinct populations of WPBs in cultured endothelial cells, V0a1 and V0a2, on mature and nascent WPBs, respectively. Although WPB buds were formed, WPBs could not separate from the TGN in the absence of V0a1. Screening using dominant–negative forms of known membrane fission regulators revealed protein kinase D (PKD) as an essential factor in biogenesis of WPBs. Further, we showed that the induction of wild-type PKDs in V0a1-depleted cells does not support the segregation of WPBs from the TGN; suggesting a primary role of V0a1 in the membrane fission of WPBs. The identification of V0a1 as a new membrane fission regulator should facilitate the understanding of molecular events that enable membrane fission.

Getting Sugar Coating Right! The Role of the Golgi Trafficking Machinery in Glycosylation

The Golgi is the central organelle of the secretory pathway and it houses the majority of the glycosylation machinery, which includes glycosylation enzymes and sugar transporters. Correct compartmentalization of the glycosylation machinery is achieved by retrograde vesicular trafficking as the secretory cargo moves forward by cisternal maturation. The vesicular trafficking machinery which includes vesicular coats, small GTPases, tethers and SNAREs, play a major role in coordinating the Golgi trafficking thereby achieving Golgi homeostasis. Glycosylation is a template-independent process, so its fidelity heavily relies on appropriate localization of the glycosylation machinery and Golgi homeostasis. Mutations in the glycosylation enzymes, sugar transporters, Golgi ion channels and several vesicle tethering factors cause congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) which encompass a group of multisystem disorders with varying severities. Here, we focus on the Golgi vesicle tethering and fusion machinery, namely, multisubunit tethering complexes and SNAREs and their role in Golgi trafficking and glycosylation. This review is a comprehensive summary of all the identified CDG causing mutations of the Golgi trafficking machinery in humans.

A novel family of mammalian transmembrane proteins involved in cholesterol transport

Cholesterol is an essential compound in mammalian cells because it is involved in a wide range of functions, including as a key component of membranes, precursor of important molecules such as hormones, bile acids and vitamin D. The cholesterol transport across the circulatory system is a well-known process in contrast to the intracellular cholesterol transport, which is poorly understood. Recently in our laboratory, we identified a novel protein in C. elegans involved in dietary cholesterol uptake, which we have named ChUP-1. Insillicoanalysis identified two putative orthologue candidate proteins in mammals. The proteins SIDT1 and SIDT2 share identity and conserved cholesterol binding (CRAC) domains with C. elegans ChUP-1. Both mammalian proteins are annotated as RNA transporters in databases. In the present study, we show evidence indicating that SIDT1 and SIDT2 not only do not transport RNA, but they are involved in cholesterol transport. Furthermore, we show that single point mutations directed to disrupt the CRAC domains of both proteins prevent FRET between SIDT1 and SIDT2 and the cholesterol analogue dehydroergosterol (DHE) and alter cholesterol transport.

Functional homologies in vesicle tethering

The HOPS multisubunit tethering factor (MTC) is a macromolecular protein complex composed of six different subunits. It is one of the key components in the perception and subsequent fusion of multivesicular bodies and vacuoles. Electron microscopy studies indicate structural flexibility of the purified HOPS complex. Inducing higher rigidity into HOPS by biochemically modifying the complex declines the potential to mediate SNARE-driven membrane fusion. Thus, we propose that integral flexibility seems to be not only a feature, but of essential need for the function of HOPS. This review focuses on the general features of membrane tethering and fusion. For this purpose, we compare the structure and mode of action of different tethering factors to highlight their common central features and mechanisms.