ACAP-A/B are ArfGAP homologs in dictyostelium involved in sporulation but not in chemotaxis

Regulators and Effectors of Arf GTPases in Neutrophils

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are key innate immune cells that represent the first line of defence against infection. They are the first leukocytes to migrate from the blood to injured or infected sites. This process involves molecular mechanisms that coordinate cell polarization, delivery of receptors, and activation of integrins at the leading edge of migrating PMNs. These phagocytes actively engulf microorganisms or form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to trap and kill pathogens with bactericidal compounds. Association of the NADPH oxidase complex at the phagosomal membrane for production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and delivery of proteolytic enzymes into the phagosome initiate pathogen killing and removal. G protein-dependent signalling pathways tightly control PMN functions. In this review, we will focus on the small monomeric GTPases of the Arf family and their guanine exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) as components of signalling cascades regulating PMN responses. GEFs and GAPs are multidomain proteins that control cellular events in time and space through interaction with other proteins and lipids inside the cells. The number of Arf GAPs identified in PMNs is expanding, and dissecting their functions will provide important insights into the role of these proteins in PMN physiology.

Defective lysosome maturation and Legionella pneumophila replication in Dictyostelium cells mutant for the Arf GAP ACAP-A

Dictyostelium discoideum ACAP-A is an Arf GTPase-activating protein (GAP) involved in cytokinesis, cell migration and actin cytoskeleton dynamics. In mammalian cells, ACAP family members regulate endocytic protein trafficking. Here, we explored the function of ACAP-A in the endocytic pathway of D. discoideum. In the absence of ACAP-A, the efficiency of fusion between post-lysosomes and the plasma membrane was reduced, resulting in the accumulation of post-lysosomes. Moreover, internalized fluid-phase markers showed extended intracellular transit times, and the transfer kinetics of phagocyted particles from lysosomes to post-lysosomes was reduced. Neutralization of lysosomal pH, one essential step in lysosome maturation, was also delayed. Whereas expression of ACAP-A-GFP in acapA(-) cells restored normal particle transport kinetics, a mutant ACAP-A protein with no GAP activity towards the small GTPase ArfA failed to complement this defect. Taken together, these data support a role for ACAP-A in maturation of lysosomes into post-lysosomes through an ArfA-dependent mechanism. In addition, we reveal that ACAP-A is required for efficient intracellular growth of Legionella pneumophila, a pathogen known to subvert the endocytic host cell machinery for replication. This further emphasizes the role of ACAP-A in the endocytic pathway.

The cytohesin paralog Sec7 of Dictyostelium discoideum is required for phagocytosis and cell motility

Background

Dictyostelium harbors several paralogous Sec7 genes that encode members of three subfamilies of the Sec7 superfamily of guanine nucleotide exchange factors. One of them is the cytohesin family represented by three members in D. discoideum, SecG, Sec7 and a further protein distinguished by several transmembrane domains. Cytohesins are characterized by a Sec7-PH tandem domain and have roles in cell adhesion and migration.

Results

We study here Sec7. In vitro its PH domain bound preferentially to phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate (PI(3,4)P₂), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P₂) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P₃). When following the distribution of GFP-Sec7 in vivo we observed the protein in the cytosol and at the plasma membrane. Strikingly, when cells formed pseudopods, macropinosomes or phagosomes, GFP-Sec7 was conspicuously absent from areas of the plasma membrane which were involved in these processes. Mutant cells lacking Sec7 exhibited an impaired phagocytosis and showed significantly reduced speed and less persistence during migration. Cellular properties associated with mammalian cytohesins like cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion were not altered. Proteins with roles in membrane trafficking and signal transduction have been identified as putative interaction partners consistent with the data obtained from mutant analysis.

Conclusions

Sec7 is a cytosolic component and is associated with the plasma membrane in a pattern distinctly different from the accumulation of PI(3,4,5)P₃. Mutant analysis reveals that loss of the protein affects cellular processes that involve membrane flow and the actin cytoskeleton.

Dictyostelium ACAP-A is an ArfGAP involved in cytokinesis, cell migration and actin cytoskeleton dynamics

ACAPs and ASAPs are Arf-GTPase-activating proteins with BAR, PH, GAP and ankyrin repeat domains and are known to regulate vesicular traffic and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in mammalian cells. The amoeba Dictyostelium has only two proteins with this domain organization instead of six in human, enabling a more precise functional analysis. Genetic invalidation of acapA, resulted in multinucleated cells with cytokinesis defects. Mutant acapA− cells were hardly motile and their multicellular development was significantly delayed. In addition, formation of filopodial protrusions was deficient in these cells. Conversely, re-expression of ACAP-A-GFP resulted in numerous and long filopodia-like protrusions. Mutagenesis studies showed that ACAP-A actin remodeling function was dependent on its ability to activate its substrate, the small GTPase ArfA. Likewise, the expression of a constitutively active ArfA•GTP mutant in wild-type cells led to a significant reduction of filopodia length. Together our data support a role for ACAP-A in the control of the actin cytoskeleton organization and dynamics through an ArfA-dependent mechanism.

Paxillin and phospholipase D interact to regulate actin-based processes in Dictyostelium discoideum

The actin cytoskeleton forms a membrane-associated network whose proper regulation is essential for numerous processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, adhesion, chemotaxis, endocytosis, exocytosis, and multicellular development. In this report, we show that in Dictyostelium discoideum, paxillin (PaxB) and phospholipase D (PldB) colocalize and coimmunoprecipitate, suggesting that they interact physically. Additionally, the phenotypes observed during development, cell sorting, and several actin-required processes, including cyclic AMP (cAMP) chemotaxis, cell-substrate adhesion, actin polymerization, phagocytosis, and exocytosis, reveal a genetic interaction between paxB and pldB, suggesting a functional interaction between their gene products. Taken together, our data point to PldB being a required binding partner of PaxB during processes involving actin reorganization.

FYVE-dependent endosomal targeting of an arrestin-related protein in amoeba

Background

Visual and β-arrestins are scaffolding proteins involved in the regulation of receptor-dependent intracellular signaling and their trafficking. The arrestin superfamilly includes several arrestin domain-containing proteins and the structurally related protein Vps26. In Dictyostelium discoideum, the arrestin-domain containing proteins form a family of six members, namely AdcA to -F. In contrast to canonical arrestins, Dictyostelium Adc proteins show a more complex architecture, as they possess, in addition to the arrestin core, other domains, such as C2, FYVE, LIM, MIT and SAM, which potentially mediate selective interactions with either lipids or proteins.

Methodology and Principal Findings

A detailed analysis of AdcA has been performed. AdcA extends on both sides of the arrestin core, in particular by a FYVE domain which mediates selective interactions with PI(3)P, as disclosed by intrinsic fluorescence measurements and lipid overlay assays. Localization studies showed an enrichment of tagged- and endogenous AdcA on the rim of early macropinosomes and phagosomes. This vesicular distribution relies on a functional FYVE domain. Our data also show that the arrestin core binds the ADP-ribosylation factor ArfA, the unique amoebal Arf member, in its GDP-bound conformation.

Significance

This work describes one of the 6 arrestin domain-containing proteins of Dictyostelium, a novel and atypical member of the arrestin clan. It provides the basis for a better understanding of arrestin-related protein involvement in trafficking processes and for further studies on the expanding roles of arrestins in eukaryotes.