Incorporation of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein into viral particles is regulated by the tubular recycling endosome in a cell type-specific manner

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is incorporated into particles during assembly on the plasma membrane (PM). Env initially reaches the PM through the secretory pathway, after which it is rapidly endocytosed via an AP-2- and clathrin-dependent mechanism. Here we show that endocytosed cell surface Env enters the tubular recycling endosome compartment (TRE). Trafficking to the TRE was dependent upon motifs within the CT previously implicated in Env recycling and particle incorporation. Depletion of TRE components MICAL-L1 or EHD1 led to defects in Env incorporation, particle infectivity, and viral replication. Remarkably, defects were limited to cell types defined as nonpermissive for incorporation of CT-deleted Env, including monocyte-derived macrophages, and not observed in 293T, HeLa, or MT-4 cells. This work identifies the TRE as an essential component of Env trafficking and particle incorporation, and provides evidence that the cell type-dependent incorporation of Env is defined by interactions with components of the TRE.

Tryptophan-based motifs in the LLP3 region of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein cytoplasmic tail direct trafficking to the endosomal recycling compartment and mediate particle incorporation

IMPORTANCE

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is an essential component of the virus and has an exceedingly long cytoplasmic tail (CT). Previous studies have suggested that trafficking signals in the CT interact with host factors to regulate the incorporation of Env into particles. One particular area of interest is termed lentiviral lytic peptide 3 (LLP3), as small deletions in this region have been shown to disrupt Env incorporation. In this study, we identify a small region within LLP3 that regulates how Env associates with cellular recycling compartments. Mutants that reduced or eliminated Env from the recycling compartment also reduced Env incorporation into particles. These findings emphasize the importance of two tryptophan motifs in LLP3 for the incorporation of Env into particles and provide additional support for the idea that the CT interacts with host recycling pathways to determine particle incorporation.

Tryptophan-based motifs in the LLP3 Region of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein cytoplasmic tail direct trafficking to the endosomal recycling compartment and mediate particle incorporation

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) is incorporated into developing particles at the plasma membrane (PM). The cytoplasmic tail (CT) of Env is known to play an essential role in particle incorporation, while the exact mechanisms underlying this function of the CT remain uncertain. Upon reaching the PM, trafficking signals in the CT interact with host cell endocytic machinery, directing Env into endosomal compartments within the cell. Prior studies have suggested that Env must traffic through the endosomal recycling compartment (ERC) in order for Env to return to the plasma membrane (PM) site of particle assembly. Expression of a truncated form of the ERC-resident trafficking adaptor Rab11-Family Interacting Proteins C (FIP1C) resulted in CT-dependent sequestration of Env in the condensed ERC, preventing recycling of Env to the PM. In this work, the motifs within the CT responsible for ERC localization of Env were systematically mapped. A small deletion encompassing the N-terminal portion of LLP3 eliminated ERC localization. Site-directed mutagenesis identified two tryptophan-based motifs (WE 790-791 and WW 796-797 ) within the N-terminus of LLP3 that were essential for ERC localization of Env. Mutant viruses bearing substitutions in these motifs were deficient in Env incorporation, with a corresponding loss of particle infectivity and a significant defect in replication in a spreading infection assay. These results identify two tryptophan-based motifs at the N-terminal portion of LLP3 that mediate ERC localization and Env incorporation, providing additional supporting evidence for the importance of cellular recycling pathways in HIV-1 particle assembly.

IMPORTANCE

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) is an essential component of the virus, and has an exceedingly long cytoplasmic tail (CT). Previous studies have suggested that trafficking signals in the CT interact with host factors to regulate the incorporation of Env into particles. One particular area of interest is termed lentiviral lytic peptide 3 (LLP3), as small deletions in this region have been shown to disrupt Env incorporation. In this study, we identify a small region within LLP3 that regulates how Env associates with cellular recycling compartments. Mutants that reduced or eliminated Env from the recycling compartment also reduced Env incorporation into particles. These findings emphasize the importance of two tryptophan motifs in LLP3 to the incorporation of Env into particles, and provide additional support for the idea that the CT interacts with host recycling pathways to determine particle incorporation.

Dynamin Inhibitors Prevent the Establishment of the Cytomegalovirus Assembly Compartment in the Early Phase of Infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection initiates massive rearrangement of cytoplasmic organelles to generate assembly compartment (AC). The earliest events, the establishment of the preAC, are initiated in the early phase as an extensive reorganization of early endosomes (EEs), endosomal recycling compartment (ERC), trans-Golgi network (TGN), and the Golgi. Here, we demonstrate that dynamin inhibitors (Dynasore, Dyngo-4a, MiTMAB, and Dynole-34-2) block the establishment of the preAC in murine CMV (MCMV) infected cells. In this study, we extensively analyzed the effect of Dynasore on the Golgi reorganization sequence into the outer preAC. We also monitored the development of the inner preAC using a set of markers that define EEs (Rab5, Vps34, EEA1, and Hrs), the EE-ERC interface (Rab10), the ERC (Rab11, Arf6), three layers of the Golgi (GRASP65, GM130, Golgin97), and late endosomes (Lamp1). Dynasore inhibited the pericentriolar accumulation of all markers that display EE-ERC-TGN interface in the inner preAC and prevented Golgi unlinking and dislocation to the outer preAC. Furthermore, in pulse-chase experiments, we demonstrated that the presence of dynasore only during the early phase of MCMV infection (4-14 hpi) is sufficient to prevent not only AC formation but also the synthesis of late-phase proteins and virion production. Therefore, our results indicate that dynamin-2 acts as a part of the machinery required for AC generation and rearrangement of EE/ERC/Golgi membranes in the early phase of CMV infection.

Endosomal Phosphatidylinositol-3-Phosphate-Associated Functions Are Dispensable for Establishment of the Cytomegalovirus Pre-Assembly Compartment but Essential for the Virus Growth

Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) initiates the stepwise establishment of the pre-assembly compartment (pre-AC) in the early phase of infection by the expansion of the early endosome (EE)/endosomal recycling compartment (ERC) interface and relocation of the Golgi complex. We depleted Vps34-derived phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI(3)P) at EEs by VPS34-IN1 and inhibited PI(3)P-associated functions by overexpression of 2xFYVE- and p40PX PI(3)P-binding modules to assess the role of PI(3)P-dependent EE domains in the pre-AC biogenesis. We monitored the accumulation of Rab10 and Evectin-2 in the inner pre-AC and the relocation of GM130-positive cis-Golgi organelles to the outer pre-AC by confocal microscopy. Although PI(3)P- and Vps34-positive endosomes build a substantial part of pre-AC, the PI(3)P depletion and the inhibition of PI(3)P-associated functions did not prevent the establishment of infection and progression through the early phase. The PI(3)P depletion in uninfected and MCMV-infected cells rapidly dispersed PI(3)P-bond proteins and reorganized EEs, including ablation of EE-to-ERC transport and relocation of Rab11 endosomes. The PI(3)P depletion one hour before pre-AC initiation and overexpression of 2xFYVE and p40PX domains neither prevented Rab10- and Evectin-2 accumulation, nor Golgi unlinking and relocation. These data demonstrate that PI(3)P-dependent functions, including the Rab11-dependent EE-to-ERC route, are dispensable for pre-AC initiation. Nevertheless, the virus growth was drastically reduced in PI(3)P-depleted cells, indicating that PI(3)P-associated functions are essential for the late phase of infection.

Revising Endosomal Trafficking under Insulin Receptor Activation

The endocytosis of ligand-bound receptors and their eventual recycling to the plasma membrane (PM) are processes that have an influence on signalling activity and therefore on many cell functions, including migration and proliferation. Like other tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR), the insulin receptor (INSR) has been shown to be endocytosed by clathrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Once at the early endosome (EE), the sorting of the receptor, either to the late endosome (LE) for degradation or back to the PM through slow or fast recycling pathways, will determine the intensity and duration of insulin effects. Both the endocytic and the endosomic pathways are regulated by many proteins, the Arf and Rab families of small GTPases being some of the most relevant. Here, we argue for a specific role for the slow recycling route, whilst we review the main molecular mechanisms involved in INSR endocytosis, sorting and recycling, as well as their possible role in cell functions.

Cytomegalovirus Generates Assembly Compartment in the Early Phase of Infection by Perturbation of Host-Cell Factors Recruitment at the Early Endosome/Endosomal Recycling Compartment/Trans-Golgi Interface

Beta-herpesviruses develop a unique structure within the infected cell known as an assembly compartment (AC). This structure, as large as the nucleus, is composed of host-cell-derived membranous elements. The biogenesis of the AC and its contribution to the final stages of beta-herpesvirus assembly are still unclear. In this study, we performed a spatial and temporal analysis of the AC in cells infected with murine CMV (MCMV), a member of the beta-herpesvirus family, using a panel of markers that characterize membranous organelle system. Out of 64 markers that were analyzed, 52 were cytosolic proteins that are recruited to membranes as components of membrane-shaping regulatory cascades. The analysis demonstrates that MCMV infection extensively reorganizes interface between early endosomes (EE), endosomal recycling compartment (ERC), and the trans-Golgi network (TGN), resulting in expansion of various EE-ERC-TGN intermediates that fill the broad area of the inner AC. These intermediates are displayed as over-recruitment of host-cell factors that control membrane flow at the EE-ERC-TGN interface. Most of the reorganization is accomplished in the early (E) phase of infection, indicating that the AC biogenesis is controlled by MCMV early genes. Although it is known that CMV infection affects the expression of a large number of host-cell factors that control membranous system, analysis of the host-cell transcriptome and protein expression in the E phase of infection demonstrated no sufficiently significant alteration in expression levels of analyzed markers. Thus, our study demonstrates that MCMV-encoded early phase function targets recruitment cascades of host cell-factors that control membranous flow at the EE-ERC-TGN interface in order to initiate the development of the AC.

Cytomegaloviruses Exploit Recycling Rab Proteins in the Sequential Establishment of the Assembly Compartment

Cytomegaloviruses (CMV) reorganize membranous system of the cell in order to develop a virion assembly compartment (VAC). The development starts in the early (E) phase of infection with the reorganization of the endosomal system and the Golgi and proceeds to the late phase until newly formed virions are assembled and released. The events in the E phase involve reorganization of the endosomal recycling compartment (ERC) in a series of cellular alterations that are mostly unknown. In this minireview, we discuss the effect of murine CMV infection on Rab proteins, master regulators of membrane trafficking pathways, which in the cascades with their GEFs and GAPs organize the flow of membranes through the ERC. Immunofluorescence analyzes of murine CMV infected cells suggest perturbations of Rab cascades that operate at the ERC. Analysis of cellular transcriptome in the course of both murine and human CMV infection demonstrates the alteration in expression of cellular genes whose products are known to build Rab cascades. These alterations, however, cannot explain perturbations of the ERC. Cellular proteome data available for human CMV infected cells suggests the potential role of RabGAP downregulation at the end of the E phase. However, the very early onset of the ERC alterations in the course of MCMV infection indicates that CMVs exploit Rab cascades to reorganize the ERC, which represents the earliest step in the sequential establishment of the cVAC.

HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Trafficking through the Endosomal Recycling Compartment Is Required for Particle Incorporation

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) encodes specific trafficking signals within its long cytoplasmic tail (CT) that regulate incorporation into HIV-1 particles. Rab11-family interacting protein 1C (FIP1C) and Rab14 are host trafficking factors required for Env particle incorporation, suggesting that Env undergoes sorting from the endosomal recycling compartment (ERC) to the site of particle assembly on the plasma membrane. We disrupted outward sorting from the ERC by expressing a C-terminal fragment of FIP1C (FIP1C_560-649) and examined the consequences on Env trafficking and incorporation into particles. FIP1C_560-649 reduced cell surface levels of Env and prevented its incorporation into HIV-1 particles. Remarkably, Env was trapped in an exaggerated perinuclear ERC in a CT-dependent manner. Mutation of either the Yxxϕ endocytic motif or the YW₇₉₅ motif in the CT prevented Env trapping in the ERC and restored incorporation into particles. In contrast, simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239 Env was not retained in the ERC, while substitution of the HIV-1 CT for the SIV CT resulted in SIV Env retention in this compartment. These results provide the first direct evidence that Env traffics through the ERC and support a model whereby HIV-1 Env is specifically targeted to the ERC prior to FIP1C- and CT-dependent outward sorting to the particle assembly site on the plasma membrane.IMPORTANCE The HIV envelope protein is an essential component of the viral particle. While many aspects of envelope protein structure and function have been established, the pathway it follows in the cell prior to reaching the site of particle assembly is not well understood. The envelope protein has a very long cytoplasmic tail that interacts with the host cell trafficking machinery. Here, we utilized a truncated form of the trafficking adaptor FIP1C protein to arrest the intracellular transport of the envelope protein, demonstrating that it becomes trapped inside the cell within the endosomal recycling compartment. Intracellular trapping resulted in a loss of envelope protein on released particles and a corresponding loss of infectivity. Mutations of specific trafficking motifs in the envelope protein tail prevented its trapping in the recycling compartment. These results establish that trafficking to the endosomal recycling compartment is an essential step in HIV envelope protein particle incorporation.

Intracellular Transport Routes for MHC I and Their Relevance for Antigen Cross-Presentation

Cross-presentation, in which exogenous antigens are presented via MHC I complexes, is involved both in the generation of anti-infectious and anti-tumoral cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells and in the maintenance of immune tolerance. While cross-presentation was described almost four decades ago and while it is now established that some dendritic cell (DC) subsets are better than others in processing and cross-presenting internalized antigens, the involved molecular mechanisms remain only partially understood. Some of the least explored molecular mechanisms in cross-presentation concern the origin of cross-presenting MHC I molecules and the cellular compartments where antigenic peptide loading occurs. This review focuses on MHC I molecules and their intracellular trafficking. We discuss the source of cross-presenting MHC I in DCs as well as the role of the endocytic pathway in their recycling from the cell surface. Next, we describe the importance of the TAP peptide transporter for delivering peptides to MHC I during cross-presentation. Finally, we highlight the impact of innate immunity mechanisms on specific antigen cross-presentation mechanisms in which TLR activation modulates MHC I trafficking and TAP localization.

Antigen processing and remodeling of the endosomal pathway: requirements for antigen cross-presentation

Cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen as peptide/class I major histocompatibility complex complexes plays a central role in the elicitation of CD8⁺ T cell clones that mediate anti-viral and anti-tumor immune responses. While it has been clear that there are specific subsets of professional antigen presenting cells capable of antigen cross-presentation, identification of mechanisms involved is still ongoing. Especially amongst dendritic cells (DC), there are specialized subsets that are highly proficient at antigen cross-presentation. We here present a focused survey on the cell biological processes in the endosomal pathway that support antigen cross-presentation. This review highlights DC-intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate the cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen, including receptor-mediated uptake, maturation-induced endosomal sorting of membrane proteins, dynamic remodeling of endosomal structures and cell surface-directed endosomal trafficking. We will conclude with the description of pathogen-induced deviation of endosomal processing, and discuss how immune evasion strategies pertaining endosomal trafficking may preclude antigen cross-presentation.