Regulation of Golgi Cisternal Progression by Ypt/Rab GTPases

Fast-evolving cofactors regulate the role of HEATR5 complexes in intra-Golgi trafficking

The highly conserved HEATR5 proteins are best known for their roles in membrane traffic mediated by the adaptor protein complex-1 (AP1). HEATR5 proteins rely on fast-evolving cofactors to bind to AP1. However, how HEATR5 proteins interact with these cofactors is unknown. Here, we report that the budding yeast HEATR5 protein, Laa1, functions in two biochemically distinct complexes. These complexes are defined by a pair of mutually exclusive Laa1-binding proteins, Laa2 and the previously uncharacterized Lft1/Yml037c. Despite limited sequence similarity, biochemical analysis and structure predictions indicate that Lft1 and Laa2 bind Laa1 via structurally similar mechanisms. Both Laa1 complexes function in intra-Golgi recycling. However, only the Laa2-Laa1 complex binds to AP1 and contributes to its localization. Finally, structure predictions indicate that human HEATR5 proteins bind to a pair of fast-evolving interacting partners via a mechanism similar to that observed in yeast. These results reveal mechanistic insight into how HEATR5 proteins bind their cofactors and indicate that Laa1 performs functions besides recruiting AP1.

Dual function of Rab1A in secretion and autophagy: hypervariable domain dependence

We currently understand how the different intracellular pathways, secretion, endocytosis, and autophagy are regulated by small GTPases. In contrast, it is unclear how these pathways are coordinated to ensure efficient cellular response to stress. Rab GTPases localize to specific organelles through their hypervariable domain (HVD) to regulate discrete steps of individual pathways. Here, we explored the dual role of Rab1A/B (92% identity) in secretion and autophagy. We show that although either Rab1A or Rab1B is required for secretion, Rab1A, but not Rab1B, localizes to autophagosomes and is required early in stress-induced autophagy. Moreover, replacing the HVD of Rab1B with that of Rab1A enables Rab1B to localize to autophagosomes and regulate autophagy. Therefore, Rab1A-HVD is required for the dual functionality of a single Rab in two different pathways: secretion and autophagy. In addition to this mechanistic insight, these findings are relevant to human health because both the pathways and Rab1A/B were implicated in diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration.

Role of the Mosaic Cisternal Maturation Machinery in Glycan Synthesis and Oncogenesis

Tumorigenesis is associated with the deregulation of multiple processes, among which the glycosylation of lipids and proteins is one of the most extensively affected. However, in most cases, it remains unclear whether aberrant glycosylation is a cause, a link in the pathogenetic chain, or a mere consequence of tumorigenesis. In other cases, instead, studies have shown that aberrant glycans can promote oncogenesis. To comprehend how aberrant glycans are generated it is necessary to clarify the underlying mechanisms of glycan synthesis at the Golgi apparatus, which are still poorly understood. Important factors that determine the glycosylation potential of the Golgi apparatus are the levels and intra-Golgi localization of the glycosylation enzymes. These factors are regulated by the process of cisternal maturation which transports the cargoes through the Golgi apparatus while retaining the glycosylation enzymes in the organelle. This mechanism has till now been considered a single, house-keeping and constitutive function. Instead, we here propose that it is a mosaic of pathways, each controlling specific set of functionally related glycosylation enzymes. This changes the conception of cisternal maturation from a constitutive to a highly regulated function. In this new light, we discuss potential new groups oncogenes among the cisternal maturation machinery that can contribute to aberrant glycosylation observed in cancer cells. Further, we also discuss the prospects of novel anticancer treatments targeting the intra-Golgi trafficking process, particularly the cisternal maturation mechanism, to control/inhibit the production of pro-tumorigenic glycans.

Clathrin adaptors mediate two sequential pathways of intra-Golgi recycling

The pathways of membrane traffic within the Golgi apparatus are not fully known. This question was addressed using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which the maturation of individual Golgi cisternae can be visualized. We recently proposed that the AP-1 clathrin adaptor mediates intra-Golgi recycling late in the process of cisternal maturation. Here, we demonstrate that AP-1 cooperates with the Ent5 clathrin adaptor to recycle a set of Golgi transmembrane proteins, including some that were previously thought to pass through endosomes. This recycling can be detected by removing AP-1 and Ent5, thereby diverting the AP-1/Ent5-dependent Golgi proteins into an alternative recycling loop that involves traffic to the plasma membrane followed by endocytosis. Unexpectedly, various AP-1/Ent5-dependent Golgi proteins show either intermediate or late kinetics of residence in maturing cisternae. We infer that the AP-1/Ent5 pair mediates two sequential intra-Golgi recycling pathways that define two classes of Golgi proteins. This insight can explain the polarized distribution of transmembrane proteins in the Golgi.

Focus on the Small GTPase Rab1: A Key Player in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease. It is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the formation of large aggregates in the survival neurons called Lewy bodies, which mainly contain α-synuclein (α-syn). The cause of cell death is not known but could be due to mitochondrial dysfunction, protein homeostasis failure, and alterations in the secretory/endolysosomal/autophagic pathways. Survival nigral neurons overexpress the small GTPase Rab1. This protein is considered a housekeeping Rab that is necessary to support the secretory pathway, the maintenance of the Golgi complex structure, and the regulation of macroautophagy from yeast to humans. It is also involved in signaling, carcinogenesis, and infection for some pathogens. It has been shown that it is directly linked to the pathogenesis of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. It has a protective effect against α–σψν toxicity and has recently been shown to be a substrate of LRRK2, which is the most common cause of familial PD and the risk of sporadic disease. In this review, we analyze the key aspects of Rab1 function in dopamine neurons and its implications in PD neurodegeneration/restauration. The results of the current and former research support the notion that this GTPase is a good candidate for therapeutic strategies.

Newer Methods Drive Recent Insights into Rab GTPase Biology: An Overview

The conserved Ypt/Rab GTPases regulate all major intracellular protein traffic pathways, including secretion, endocytosis and autophagy. These GTPases undergo distinct changes in conformation between their GTP- and GDP-bound forms and cycle between the cytoplasm and membranes with the aid of their upstream regulators. When activated on the membrane in the GTP-bound form, they recruit their downstream effectors, which include components of vesicular transport. Progress in the past 5 years regarding mechanisms of Rab action, functions, and the effects of disruption of these functions on the well-being of cells and organisms has been propelled by advances in methodologies in molecular and cellular biology. Here, we highlight methods used recently to analyze regulation, localization, interactions, and function of Rab GTPases and their roles in human disease. We discuss contributions of these methods to new insights into Rabs, as well as their future use in addressing open questions in the field of Rab biology.

Arf1 orchestrates Rab GTPase conversion at the trans-Golgi network

Rab family GTPases are key organizers of membrane trafficking and function as markers of organelle identity. Accordingly, Rab GTPases often occupy specific membrane domains, and mechanisms exist to prevent the inappropriate mixing of distinct Rab domains. The yeast Golgi complex can be divided into two broad Rab domains: Ypt1 (Rab1) and Ypt6 (Rab6) are present at the early/medial Golgi and sharply transition to Ypt31/32 (Rab11) at the late Golgi/trans-Golgi network (TGN). This Rab conversion has been attributed to GTPase-activating protein (GAP) cascades in which Ypt31/32 recruits the Rab-GAPs Gyp1 and Gyp6 to inactivate Ypt1 and Ypt6, respectively. Here we report that Rab transition at the TGN involves additional layers of regulation. We provide new evidence confirming the TRAPPII complex as an important regulator of Ypt6 inactivation and uncover an unexpected role of the Arf1 GTPase in recruiting Gyp1 to drive Ypt1 inactivation at the TGN. Given its established role in directly recruiting TRAPPII to the TGN, Arf1 is therefore a master regulator of Rab conversion on maturing Golgi compartments.

Establishing Regulation of a Dynamic Process by Ypt/Rab GTPases : A Case for Cisternal Progression

The prevailing model for transport within the Golgi is cisternal maturation. This process can be viewed as switching of cisternal markers using live-cell microscopy in yeast cells since the Golgi cisternae are separated, as opposed to the stacked Golgi seen in other organisms. It is also possible to determine which trafficking machinery components are required for this process by studying mutants depleted for these components. However, determining how cisternal maturation is regulated has been more challenging. The key for demonstrating regulation is not solely to stop the maturation when depleting a vesicular trafficking component, but also to illustrate a change in the speed. The obvious candidates for such regulation are the Ypt/Rab GTPases because of their established mode of action as regulators. Since the precise localization of the Golgi Ypts, Ypt1 and Ypt31, to specific Golgi cisternae has been controversial, we started by carefully colocalizing these Ypts with the Golgi cisternal markers using two independent approaches: immunofluorescence and live-cell microscopy. Next, the opposite effects of depletion versus constitutively activating Ypt mutations on Golgi morphology were determined. Finally, the ability of constitutively activating Ypt mutations to accelerate a specific cisternal-maturation step was established by live-cell time-lapse microscopy. Using these approaches, we defined three dynamic Golgi cisternae, early, intermediate, and late, separated two independent steps of cisternal maturation and showed their regulation by two different Ypts. Here, we discuss the major principles and precautions needed for each phase of this research, the main point being definition of a new criterion for regulation of a dynamic process versus requirement of a machinery structural component: acceleration of the dynamics.

A minimal self-organisation model of the Golgi apparatus

The design principles dictating the spatio-temporal organisation of eukaryotic cells, and in particular the mechanisms controlling the self-organisation and dynamics of membrane-bound organelles such as the Golgi apparatus, remain elusive. Although this organelle was discovered 120 years ago, such basic questions as whether vesicular transport through the Golgi occurs in an anterograde (from entry to exit) or retrograde fashion are still strongly debated. Here, we address these issues by studying a quantitative model of organelle dynamics that includes: de-novo compartment generation, inter-compartment vesicular exchange, and biochemical conversion of membrane components. We show that anterograde or retrograde vesicular transports are asymptotic behaviors of a much richer dynamical system. Indeed, the structure and composition of cellular compartments and the directionality of vesicular exchange are intimately linked. They are emergent properties that can be tuned by varying the relative rates of vesicle budding, fusion and biochemical conversion.

Correlative single-molecule localization microscopy and electron tomography reveals endosome nanoscale domains

Many cellular organelles, including endosomes, show compartmentalization into distinct functional domains, which, however, cannot be resolved by diffraction‐limited light microscopy. Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) offers nanoscale resolution but data interpretation is often inconclusive when the ultrastructural context is missing. Correlative light electron microscopy (CLEM) combining SMLM with electron microscopy (EM) enables correlation of functional subdomains of organelles in relation to their underlying ultrastructure at nanometer resolution. However, the specific demands for EM sample preparation and the requirements for fluorescent single‐molecule photo‐switching are opposed. Here, we developed a novel superCLEM workflow that combines triple‐color SMLM (dSTORM & PALM) and electron tomography using semi‐thin Tokuyasu thawed cryosections. We applied the superCLEM approach to directly visualize nanoscale compartmentalization of endosomes in HeLa cells. Internalized, fluorescently labeled Transferrin and EGF were resolved into morphologically distinct domains within the same endosome. We found that the small GTPase Rab5 is organized in nanodomains on the globular part of early endosomes. The simultaneous visualization of several proteins in functionally distinct endosomal sub‐compartments demonstrates the potential of superCLEM to link the ultrastructure of organelles with their molecular organization at nanoscale resolution.

A microscopy-based kinetic analysis of yeast vacuolar protein sorting

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is amenable to studying membrane traffic by live-cell fluorescence microscopy. We used this system to explore two aspects of cargo protein traffic through prevacuolar endosome (PVE) compartments to the vacuole. First, at what point during Golgi maturation does a biosynthetic vacuolar cargo depart from the maturing cisternae? To address this question, we modified a regulatable fluorescent secretory cargo by adding a vacuolar targeting signal. Traffic of the vacuolar cargo requires the GGA clathrin adaptors, which arrive during the early-to-late Golgi transition. Accordingly, the vacuolar cargo begins to exit the Golgi near the midpoint of maturation, significantly before exit of a secretory cargo. Second, how are cargoes delivered from PVE compartments to the vacuole? To address this question, we tracked biosynthetic and endocytic cargoes after they had accumulated in PVE compartments. The results suggest that stable PVE compartments repeatedly deliver material to the vacuole by a kiss-and-run mechanism.

Extensive GTPase crosstalk regulates Golgi trafficking and maturation

Virtually all transport events at the Golgi complex are regulated by Arf and Rab family GTPases. Recent work has advanced our knowledge regarding the mechanisms controlling GTPase activity, and it has become clear that GTPases do not act in isolation but rather function in complex networks of crosstalk and feedback. Together with earlier findings, these recent studies indicate that communication between GTPases, their regulatory proteins, effectors, and lipids plays a pivotal role in Golgi transport and cisternal maturation.

Ypt/Rab GTPases and their TRAPP GEFs at the Golgi

The conserved Ypt/Rab GTPases regulate the different steps of all intracellular trafficking pathways. Ypt/Rabs are activated by their specific nucleotide exchangers termed GEFs, and when GTP bound, they recruit their downstream effectors, which mediate vesicular transport substeps. In the yeast exocytic pathway, Ypt1 and Ypt31/32 regulate traffic through the Golgi and the conserved modular TRAPP complex acts a GEF for both Ypt1 and Ypt31/32. However, the precise localization and function of these Ypts have been under debate, as is the identity of their corresponding GEFs. We have established that Ypt1 and Ypt31 reside on the two sides of the Golgi, early and late, respectively, and regulate Golgi cisternal progression. We and others have shown that whereas a single TRAPP complex, TRAPP II, activates Ypt31, three TRAPP complexes can activate Ypt1: TRAPPs I, III, and IV. We propose that TRAPP I and II activate Ypt1 and Ypt31, respectively, at the Golgi, whereas TRAPP III and IV activate Ypt1 in autophagy. Resolving these issues is important because both Rabs and TRAPPs are implicated in multiple human diseases, ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.

A Kinetic View of Membrane Traffic Pathways Can Transcend the Classical View of Golgi Compartments

A long-standing assumption is that the cisternae of the Golgi apparatus can be grouped into functionally distinct compartments, yet the molecular identities of those compartments have not been clearly described. The concept of a compartmentalized Golgi is challenged by the cisternal maturation model, which postulates that cisternae form de novo and then undergo progressive biochemical changes. Cisternal maturation can potentially be reconciled with Golgi compartmentation by defining compartments as discrete kinetic stages in the maturation process. These kinetic stages are distinguished by the traffic pathways that are operating. For example, a major transition occurs when a cisterna stops producing COPI vesicles and begins producing clathrin-coated vesicles. This transition separates one kinetic stage, the "early Golgi," from a subsequent kinetic stage, the "late Golgi" or "trans-Golgi network (TGN)." But multiple traffic pathways drive Golgi maturation, and the periods of operation for different traffic pathways can partially overlap, so there is no simple way to define a full set of Golgi compartments in terms of kinetic stages. Instead, we propose that the focus should be on the series of transitions experienced by a Golgi cisterna as various traffic pathways are switched on and off. These traffic pathways drive changes in resident transmembrane protein composition. Transitions in traffic pathways seem to be the fundamental, conserved determinants of Golgi organization. According to this view, the initial goal is to identify the relevant traffic pathways and place them on the kinetic map of Golgi maturation, and the ultimate goal is to elucidate the logic circuit that switches individual traffic pathways on and off as a cisterna matures.

Maturation-driven transport and AP-1-dependent recycling of a secretory cargo in the Golgi

The Golgi cisternal maturation model predicts that secretory cargo proteins should be continuously present within the cisternae while resident Golgi proteins come and go. Casler et al. verify this prediction by tracking the passage of a fluorescent secretory cargo through the yeast Golgi.

Golgi cisternal maturation has been visualized by fluorescence imaging of individual cisternae in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but those experiments did not track passage of a secretory cargo. The expectation is that a secretory cargo will be continuously present within maturing cisternae as resident Golgi proteins arrive and depart. We tested this idea using a regulatable fluorescent secretory cargo that forms ER-localized aggregates, which dissociate into tetramers upon addition of a ligand. The solubilized tetramers rapidly exit the ER and then transit through early and late Golgi compartments before being secreted. Early Golgi cisternae form near the ER and become loaded with the secretory cargo. As predicted, cisternae contain the secretory cargo throughout the maturation process. An unexpected finding is that a burst of intra-Golgi recycling delivers additional secretory cargo molecules to cisternae during the early-to-late Golgi transition. This recycling requires the AP-1 adaptor, suggesting that AP-1 can recycle secretory cargo proteins as well as resident Golgi proteins.

A Steric Gating Mechanism Dictates the Substrate Specificity of a Rab-GEF

Correct localization of Rab GTPases in cells is critical for proper function in membrane trafficking, yet the mechanisms that target Rabs to specific subcellular compartments remain controversial. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) activate and consequently stabilize Rab substrates on membranes, thus implicating GEFs as the primary determinants of Rab localization. A competing hypothesis is that the Rab C-terminal hypervariable domain (HVD) serves as a subcellular targeting signal. In this study, we present a unifying mechanism in which the HVD controls targeting of certain Rabs by mediating interaction with their GEFs. We demonstrate that the TRAPP complexes, two related GEFs that use the same catalytic site to activate distinct Rabs, distinguish between Ypt1 (Rab1) and Ypt31/32 (Rab11) via their divergent HVDs. Remarkably, we find that HVD length gates Rab access to the TRAPPII complex by constraining the distance between the nucleotide-binding domain and the membrane surface.

Investigation of Ldb19/Art1 localization and function at the late Golgi

The arrestin-related family of proteins (ARTs) are potent regulators of membrane traffic at multiple cellular locations in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several ARTs act at multiple locations, suggesting that ARTs with well-established functions at one location may have additional, as of yet, uncharacterized roles at other locations in the cell. To more fully understand the spectrum of cellular functions regulated by ART proteins, we explored the localization and function of Ldb19/Art1, which has previously been shown to function at the plasma membrane, yet is reported to localize to the trans-Golgi network (TGN). We report that the C-terminal fusion of Ldb19 with GFP is functional and, as previously reported, localizes to the TGN. We further establish that Ldb19 associates with late stages of TGN maturation that are enriched in the clathrin adaptor protein complex-1 (AP-1). Additionally, we present genetic interaction assays that suggest Ldb19 acts at the late TGN in a mechanism related to that of AP-1. However, Ldb19 and AP-1 have dissimilar phenotypes in a subset of assays of membrane traffic, suggesting Ldb19 functions at the TGN are distinct from those of AP-1. Together these results indicate Ldb19 functions at the TGN, in addition to its well-established role in endocytosis.

trans-Golgi network-bound cargo traffic

Cargo following the retrograde trafficking are sorted at endosomes to be targeted the trans-Golgi network (TGN), a central receiving organelle. Though molecular requirements and their interaction networks have been somewhat established, the complete understanding of the intricate nature of their action mechanisms in every step of the retrograde traffic pathway remains unachieved. This review focuses on elucidating known functions of key regulators, including scission factors at the endosome and tethering/fusion mediators at the receiving dock, TGN, as well as a diverse range of cargo.

Regulation of ER-Golgi Transport Dynamics by GTPases in Budding Yeast

A large number of proteins are synthesized de novo in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They are transported through the Golgi apparatus and then delivered to their proper destinations. The ER and the Golgi play a central role in protein processing and sorting and show dynamic features in their forms. Ras super family small GTPases mediate the protein transport through and between these organelles. The ER-localized GTPase, Sar1, facilitates the formation of COPII transport carriers at the ER exit sites (ERES) on the ER for the transport of cargo proteins from the ER to the Golgi. The Golgi-localized GTPase, Arf1, controls intra-Golgi, and Golgi-to-ER transport of cargo proteins by the formation of COPI carriers. Rab GTPases localized at the Golgi, which are responsible for fusion of membranes, are thought to establish the identities of compartments. Recent evidence suggests that these small GTPases regulate not only discrete sites for generation/fusion of transport carriers, but also membrane dynamics of the organelles where they locate to ensure the integrity of transport. Here we summarize the current understandings about the membrane traffic between these organelles and highlight the cutting-edge advances from super-resolution live imaging of budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Budding Yeast Has a Minimal Endomembrane System

The endomembrane system consists of the secretory and endocytic pathways, which communicate by transport to and from the trans-Golgi network (TGN). In mammalian cells, the endocytic pathway includes early, late, and recycling endosomes. In budding yeast, different types of endosomes have been described, but the organization of the endocytic pathway has remained unclear. We performed a spatial and temporal analysis of yeast endosomal markers and endocytic cargoes. Our results indicate that the yeast TGN also serves as an early and recycling endosome. In addition, as previously described, yeast contains a late or prevacuolar endosome (PVE). Endocytic cargoes localize to the TGN shortly after internalization, and manipulations that perturb export from the TGN can slow the passage of endocytic cargoes to the PVE. Yeast apparently lacks a distinct early endosome. Thus, yeast has a simple endocytic pathway that may reflect the ancestral organization of the endomembrane system.

Multisubunit tethering complexes in higher plants

Tethering complexes mediate the initial, specific contact between donor and acceptor membranes. This review focuses on the modularity and function of multisubunit tethering complexes (MTCs) in higher plants. One emphasis is on molecular interactions of plant MTCs. Here, a number of insights have been gained concerning interactions between different tethering complexes, and between tethers and microtubule-associated proteins. The roles of tethering complexes in abiotic stress responses appear indirect, but in the context of biotic stress responses it has been suggested that some tethers are direct targets of pathogen effectors or virulence factors. In light of the central roles tethering complexes play in plant development, an emerging concept is that tethers may be co-opted for plant adaptive responses.

The TRAPPIII complex activates the GTPase Ypt1 (Rab1) in the secretory pathway

The TRAPP complexes are nucleotide exchange factors that activate Rab GTPases, and four different versions of TRAPP have been reported. Thomas et al. show that only two versions of TRAPP are detectable in normal cells and demonstrate that the TRAPPIII complex regulates Golgi trafficking in addition to its established role in autophagy.

Rab GTPases serve as molecular switches to regulate eukaryotic membrane trafficking pathways. The transport protein particle (TRAPP) complexes activate Rab GTPases by catalyzing GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange. In mammalian cells, there are two distinct TRAPP complexes, yet in budding yeast, four distinct TRAPP complexes have been reported. The apparent differences between the compositions of yeast and mammalian TRAPP complexes have prevented a clear understanding of the specific functions of TRAPP complexes in all cell types. In this study, we demonstrate that akin to mammalian cells, wild-type yeast possess only two TRAPP complexes, TRAPPII and TRAPPIII. We find that TRAPPIII plays a major role in regulating Rab activation and trafficking at the Golgi in addition to its established role in autophagy. These disparate pathways share a common regulatory GTPase Ypt1 (Rab1) that is activated by TRAPPIII. Our findings lead to a simple yet comprehensive model for TRAPPIII function in both normal and starved eukaryotic cells.

Clathrin localization and dynamics in Aspergillus nidulans

Cell growth necessitates extensive membrane remodeling events including vesicle fusion or fission, processes that are regulated by coat proteins. The hyphal cells of filamentous fungi concentrate both exocytosis and endocytosis at the apex. This investigation focuses on clathrin in Aspergillus nidulans, with the aim of understanding its role in membrane remodeling in growing hyphae. We examined clathrin heavy chain (ClaH-GFP) which localized to three distinct subcellular structures: late Golgi (trans-Golgi equivalents of filamentous fungi), which are concentrated just behind the hyphal tip but are intermittently present throughout all hyphal cells; the region of concentrated endocytosis just behind the hyphal apex (the "endocytic collar"); and small, rapidly moving puncta that were seen trafficking long distances in nearly all hyphal compartments. ClaH localized to distinct domains on late Golgi, and these clathrin "hubs" dispersed in synchrony after the late Golgi marker PH^OSBP . Although clathrin was essential for growth, ClaH did not colocalize well with the endocytic patch marker fimbrin. Tests of FM4-64 internalization and repression of ClaH corroborated the observation that clathrin does not play an important role in endocytosis in A. nidulans. A minor portion of ClaH puncta exhibited bidirectional movement, likely along microtubules, but were generally distinct from early endosomes.

GTPase cross talk regulates TRAPPII activation of Rab11 homologues during vesicle biogenesis

Rab GTPases control vesicle formation and transport, but which proteins are important for their regulation is incompletely understood. Thomas and Fromme provide definitive evidence that TRAPPII is a GEF for the yeast Rab11 homologues Ypt31/32 and implicate the GTPase Arf1 in TRAPPII recruitment, suggesting that a bidirectional cross talk mechanism drives vesicle biogenesis.

Rab guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) control cellular trafficking pathways by regulating vesicle formation, transport, and tethering. Rab11 and its paralogs regulate multiple secretory and endocytic recycling pathways, yet the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that activates Rab11 in most eukaryotic cells is unresolved. The large multisubunit transport protein particle (TRAPP) II complex has been proposed to act as a GEF for Rab11 based on genetic evidence, but conflicting biochemical experiments have created uncertainty regarding Rab11 activation. Using physiological Rab-GEF reconstitution reactions, we now provide definitive evidence that TRAPPII is a bona fide GEF for the yeast Rab11 homologues Ypt31/32. We also uncover a direct role for Arf1, a distinct GTPase, in recruiting TRAPPII to anionic membranes. Given the known role of Ypt31/32 in stimulating activation of Arf1, a bidirectional cross talk mechanism appears to drive biogenesis of secretory and endocytic recycling vesicles. By coordinating simultaneous activation of two essential GTPase pathways, this mechanism ensures recruitment of the complete set of effectors needed for vesicle formation, transport, and tethering.

The TRAPP Subunit Trs130p Interacts with the GAP Gyp6p to Mediate Ypt6p Dynamics at the Late Golgi

Small GTPases of the Rab superfamily participate in virtually all vesicle-mediated trafficking events. Cycling between an active GTP-bound form and an inactive GDP-bound form is accomplished in conjunction with guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), respectively. Rab cascades have been described in which an effector of an activated Rab is a GEF for a downstream Rab, thus ensuring activation of a pathway in an ordered fashion. Much less is known concerning crosstalk between GEFs and GAPs although regulation between these factors could also contribute to the overall physiology of a cell. Here we demonstrate that a subunit of the TRAPP II multisubunit tethering factor, a Rab GEF, participates in the recruitment of Gyp6p, a GAP for the GTPase Ypt6p, to Golgi membranes. The extreme carboxy-terminal portion of the TRAPP II subunit Trs130p is required for the interaction between TRAPP II and Gyp6p. We further demonstrate that TRAPP II mutants, but not a TRAPP III mutant, display a defect in Gyp6p interaction. A consequence of this defective interaction is the enhanced localization of Ypt6p at late Golgi membranes. Although a ypt31/32 mutant also resulted in an enhanced localization of Gyp6p at the late Golgi, the effect was not as dramatic as that seen for TRAPP II mutants, nor was Ypt31/32 detected in the same TRAPP II purification that detected Gyp6p. We propose that the interaction between TRAPP II and Gyp6p represents a parallel mechanism in addition to that mediated by Ypt31/32 for the recruitment of a GAP to the appropriate membrane, and is a novel example of crosstalk between a Rab GAP and GEF.

TRAPP Complexes in Secretion and Autophagy

TRAPP is a highly conserved modular multi-subunit protein complex. Originally identified as a “transport protein particle” with a role in endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport, its multiple subunits and their conservation from yeast to humans were characterized in the late 1990s. TRAPP attracted attention when it was shown to act as a Ypt/Rab GTPase nucleotide exchanger, GEF, in the 2000s. Currently, three TRAPP complexes are known in yeast, I, II, and III, and they regulate two different intracellular trafficking pathways: secretion and autophagy. Core TRAPP contains four small subunits that self assemble to a stable complex, which has a GEF activity on Ypt1. Another small subunit, Trs20/Sedlin, is an adaptor required for the association of core TRAPP with larger subunits to form TRAPP II and TRAPP III. Whereas the molecular structure of the core TRAPP complex is resolved, the architecture of the larger TRAPP complexes, including their existence as dimers and multimers, is less clear. In addition to its Ypt/Rab GEF activity, and thereby an indirect role in vesicle tethering through Ypt/Rabs, a direct role for TRAPP as a vesicle tether has been suggested. This idea is based on TRAPP interactions with vesicle coat components. While much of the basic information about TRAPP complexes comes from yeast, mutations in TRAPP subunits were connected to human disease. In this review we will summarize new information about TRAPP complexes, highlight new insights about their function and discuss current controversies and future perspectives.