Impact of genetic background on neonatal lethality of Gga2 gene-trap mice

Fusarium graminearum GGA protein is critical for fungal development, virulence and ascospore discharge through its involvement in vesicular trafficking

Vesicular trafficking is a conserved material transport process in eukaryotic cells. The GGA family proteins are clathrin adaptors that are involved in eukaryotic vesicle transport, but their functions in phytopathogenic filamentous fungi remain unexplored. Here, we examined the only GGA family protein in Fusarium graminearum, FgGga1, which localizes to both the late Golgi and endosomes. In the absence of FgGga1, the fungal mutant exhibited defects in vegetative growth, DON biosynthesis, ascospore discharge and virulence. Fluorescence microscopy analysis revealed that FgGga1 is associated with trans-Golgi network (TGN)-to-plasma membrane, endosome-to-TGN and endosome-to-vacuole transport. Mutational analysis on the five domains of FgGga1 showed that the VHS domain was required for endosome-to-TGN transport while the GAT^167-248 and the hinge domains were required for both endosome-to-TGN and endosome-to-vacuole transport. Importantly, the deletion of the FgGga1 domains that are required in vesicular trafficking also inhibited vegetative growth and virulence of F. graminearum. In addition, FgGga1 interacted with the ascospore discharge regulator Ca²⁺ ATPase FgNeo1, whose transport to the vacuole is dependent on FgGga1-mediated endosome-to-vacuole transport. Our results suggest that FgGga1 is required for fungal development and virulence via FgGga1-mediated vesicular trafficking, and FgGga1-mediated endosome-to-vacuole transport facilitates ascospore discharge in F. graminearum.

Cerebellum-enriched protein INPP5A contributes to selective neuropathology in mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxias type 17

Spinocerebellar ataxias 17 (SCA17) is caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the TATA box-binding protein (TBP). The selective neurodegeneration in the cerebellum in SCA17 raises the question of why ubiquitously expressed polyQ proteins can cause neurodegeneration in distinct brain regions in different polyQ diseases. By expressing mutant TBP in different brain regions in adult wild-type mice via stereotaxic injection of adeno-associated virus, we found that adult cerebellar neurons are particularly vulnerable to mutant TBP. In SCA17 knock-in mice, mutant TBP inhibits SP1-mediated gene transcription to down-regulate INPP5A, a protein that is highly abundant in the cerebellum. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of Inpp5a in the cerebellum of wild-type mice leads to Purkinje cell degeneration, and Inpp5a overexpression decreases inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃) levels and ameliorates Purkinje cell degeneration in SCA17 knock-in mice. Our findings demonstrate the important contribution of a tissue-specific protein to the polyQ protein-mediated selective neuropathology.

Cargo Sorting at the trans-Golgi Network for Shunting into Specific Transport Routes: Role of Arf Small G Proteins and Adaptor Complexes

The trans-Golgi network (TGN) is responsible for selectively recruiting newly synthesized cargo into transport carriers for delivery to their appropriate destination. In addition, the TGN is responsible for receiving and recycling cargo from endosomes. The membrane organization of the TGN facilitates the sorting of cargoes into distinct populations of transport vesicles. There have been significant advances in defining the molecular mechanism involved in the recognition of membrane cargoes for recruitment into different populations of transport carriers. This machinery includes cargo adaptors of the adaptor protein (AP) complex family, and monomeric Golgi-localized γ ear-containing Arf-binding protein (GGA) family, small G proteins, coat proteins, as well as accessory factors to promote budding and fission of transport vesicles. Here, we review this literature with a particular focus on the transport pathway(s) mediated by the individual cargo adaptors and the cargo motifs recognized by these adaptors. Defects in these cargo adaptors lead to a wide variety of diseases.

Clathrin adaptor GGA1 modulates myogenesis of C2C12 myoblasts

During myogenesis, myogenic stem cells undergo several sequential events, including cell division, migration, and cell-cell fusion, leading to the formation of multinuclear myotubes, which are the precursors of myofibers. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these complex processes, an RNA interference-based gene depletion approach was used. Golgi associated, gamma adaptin ear containing, ARF binding protein 1 (GGA1), a Golgi-resident monomeric clathrin adaptor, was found to be required for the process of myotube formation in C2C12 cells, a cultured murine myoblast cell line. Gga1 mRNA expression was upregulated during myogenesis, and Gga1 depletion prevented the formation of large multi-nucleated myotubes. Moreover, inhibition of lysosomal proteases in Gga1 knockdown myoblasts increased the amount of insulin receptor, suggesting that GGA1 is involved in the cell surface expression and sorting of the insulin receptor. These results suggested that GGA1 plays a significant role in the formation and maturation of myotubes by targeting the insulin receptor to the cell surface to establish functionally mature myofibers.

GGA2 interacts with EGFR cytoplasmic domain to stabilize the receptor expression and promote cell growth

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and its downregulation upon ligand binding have been extensively documented. However, the mechanisms by which cells maintain steady-state EGFR expression remain poorly understood. Here, we report a novel role of Golgi-localized, γ-adaptin ear-containing, ADP ribosylation factor-binding protein 2 (GGA2) in the control of EGFR turnover. Whereas GGA1- or GGA3-depletion increased EGFR expression, GGA2-depletion by RNAi greatly reduced steady-state expression of EGFR, reflecting enhanced lysosomal degradation of EGFR. Subsequent pull-down assays showed interactions of VHS-GAT domains from three GGAs with the cytoplasmic juxtamembrane region (jxt) of EGFR, which was dependent on N108 in the VHS domain. Proximity ligation assay also revealed the steady-state interaction between GGA2 and EGFR in situ. Moreover, reduced expression of EGFR in GGA2-depleted cells was reversed by additional depletion of GGA1 or GGA3, suggesting that GGA1 and GGA3 promote EGFR degradation. In addition, GGA2-depleted cells had reduced EGF signaling and cell proliferation in cell culture and xenograft experiments. Finally, GGA2 was upregulated in 30.8% of human hepatocellular carcinomas and 23.3% of colorectal cancers. Together, these results indicate that GGA2 supports cell growth by interacting with EGFR for sustaining the receptor expression.

Conserved role for Gga proteins in phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase localization to the trans-Golgi network

Phosphoinositides serve as key membrane determinants for assembly of clathrin coat proteins that drive formation of clathrin-coated vesicles. At the trans-Golgi network (TGN), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) plays important roles in recruitment of two major clathrin adaptors, Gga (Golgi-localized, gamma-adaptin ear homology, Arf-binding) proteins and the AP-1 (assembly protein-1) complex. The molecular mechanisms that mediate localization of phosphatidylinositol kinases responsible for synthesis of PtdIns4P at the TGN are not well characterized. We identify two motifs in the yeast phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, Pik1, which are required for binding to the VHS domain of Gga2. Mutations in these motifs that inhibit Gga2-VHS binding resulted in reduced Pik1 localization and delayed accumulation of PtdIns4P and recruitment of AP-1 to the TGN. The Pik1 homolog in mammals, PI4KIIIβ, interacted preferentially with the VHS domain of GGA2 compared with VHS domains of GGA1 and GGA3. Depletion of GGA2, but not GGA1 or GGA3, specifically affected PI4KIIIβ localization. These results reveal a conserved role for Gga proteins in regulating phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase function at the TGN.