Adaptin Research Articles

Barbadin selectively modulates FPR2-mediated neutrophil functions independent of receptor endocytosis

FPR2, a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), mediates neutrophil migration, a response that has been linked to β-arrestin recruitment. β-Arrestin regulates GPCR endocytosis and can also elicit non-canonical receptor signaling. To determine the poorly understood role of β-arrestin in FPR2 endocytosis and in NADPH-oxidase activation in neutrophils, Barbadin was used as a research tool in this study. Barbadin has been shown to bind the clathrin adaptor protein (AP2) and thereby prevent β-arrestin/AP2 interaction and β-arrestin-mediated GPCR endocytosis. In agreement with this, AP2/β-arrestin interaction induced by an FPR2-specific agonist was inhibited by Barbadin. Unexpectedly, however, Barbadin did not inhibit FPR2 endocytosis, indicating that a mechanism independent of β-arrestin/AP2 interaction may sustain FPR2 endocytosis. This was confirmed by the fact, that FPR2 also underwent agonist-promoted endocytosis in β-arrestin deficient cells, albeit at a diminished level as compared to wild type cells. Dissection of the Barbadin effects on FPR2-mediated neutrophil functions including NADPH-oxidase activation mediated release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and chemotaxis revealed that Barbadin had no effect on chemotactic migration whereas the release of ROS was potentiated/primed. The effect of Barbadin on ROS production was reversible, independent of β-arrestin recruitment, and similar to that induced by latrunculin A. Taken together, our data demonstrate that endocytic uptake of FPR2 occurs independently of β-arrestin, while Barbadin selectively augments FPR2-mediated ROS production independently of receptor endocytosis. Given that Barbadin binds to AP2 and prevents the AP2/β-arrestin interaction, our results indicate a role for AP2 in FPR2-mediated ROS release from neutrophils.

Plasma membrane to vacuole traffic induced by glucose starvation requires Gga2-dependent sorting at the trans-Golgi network.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, acute glucose starvation induces rapid endocytosis followed by vacuolar degradation of many plasma membrane proteins. This process is essential for cell viability, but the regulatory mechanisms that control it remain poorly understood. Under normal growth conditions, a major regulatory decision for endocytic cargo occurs at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) where proteins can recycle back to the plasma membrane or can be recognized by TGN-localised clathrin adaptors that direct them towards the vacuole. However, glucose starvation reduces recycling and alters the localization and post-translational modification of TGN-localised clathrin adaptors. This raises the possibility that during glucose starvation endocytosed proteins are routed to the vacuole by a novel mechanism that bypasses the TGN or does not require TGN-localised clathrin adaptors. Here, we investigate the role of TGN-localised clathrin adaptors in the traffic of several amino acid permeases, including Can1, during glucose starvation. We find that Can1 transits through the TGN after endocytosis in both starved and normal conditions. Can1 and other amino acid permeases require TGN-localised clathrin adaptors for maximal delivery to the vacuole. Furthermore, these permeases are actively sorted to the vacuole, because ectopically forced de-ubiquitination at the TGN results in the recycling of the Tat1 permase in starved cells. Finally, we report that the Mup1 permease requires the clathrin adaptor Gga2 for vacuolar delivery. In contrast, the clathrin adaptor protein complex AP-1 plays a minor role, potentially in retaining permeases in the TGN, but it is otherwise dispensable for vacuolar delivery. This work elucidates one membrane trafficking pathway needed for yeast to respond to acute glucose starvation. It also reveals the functions of TGNlocalised clathrin adaptors in this process. Our results indicate that the same machinery is needed for vacuolar protein sorting at the GN in glucose starved cells as is needed in the presence of glucose. In addition, our findings provide further support for the model that the TGN is a transit point for many endocytosed proteins, and that Gga2 and AP-1 function in distinct pathways at the TGN.

In-frame fusion of SUMO1 enhances βarrestin2's association with activated GPCRs as well as with nuclear pore complexes

Small ubiquitin like modifier (SUMO) conjugation or SUMOylation of βarrestin2 promotes its association with the clathrin adaptor protein AP2 and facilitates rapid β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) internalization. However, disruption of the consensus SUMOylation site in βarrestin2, did not prevent βarrestin2's association with activated β2ARs, dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs), angiotensin type 1a receptors (AT1aRs) and V2 vasopressin receptors (V2Rs). To address the role of SUMOylation in the trafficking of βarrestin and GPCR complexes, we generated and characterized a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) tagged βarrestin2-SUMO1 chimeric protein, which is resistant to de-SUMOylation. In HEK-293 cells, YFP-SUMO1 predominantly localized in the nucleus, whereas YFP-βarrestin2 is cytoplasmic. YFP-βarrestin2-SUMO1 in addition to being cytoplasmic, is localized at the nuclear membrane. Nonetheless, βarrestin2-SUMO1 associated robustly with agonist-activated β2ARs as evaluated by co-immunoprecipitation, confocal microscopy and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). βarrestin2-SUMO1 associated strongly with the D2R, which forms transient complexes with βarrestin2. But, βarrestin2-SUMO1 and βarrestin2 showed equivalent binding with the V2R, which forms stable complexes with βarrestin2. βarrestin2 expression level directly correlated with the steady state levels of the unmodified form of RanGAP1, which upon SUMOylation associates with nuclear membrane. On the other hand, βarrestin2-SUMO1 not only localized at the nuclear membrane, but also formed a macromolecular complex with RanGAP1. Taken together, our data suggest that SUMOylation of βarrestin2 promotes its protein interactions at both cell and nuclear membranes. Furthermore, βarrestin2-SUMO1 presents as a useful tool to characterize βarrestin2 recruitment to GPCRs, which form transient and unstable complex with βarrestin2.

Dab2 gene variant is associated with increased coronary artery disease risk in Chinese Han population.

Disabled-2 (Dab2) is a clathrin and cargo-binding endocytic adaptor protein that plays a role in cellular trafficking of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). However, little is known about its involvement in coronary artery disease (CAD). Here, we aimed to investigate the association between Dab2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CAD in Chinese Han and Uyghur populations.We performed a case-control study in CAD group that consisted of 621 Han and 346 Uygurs, and the age and gender matched control group consisted of 611 Han and 405 Uygurs. The clinicopathological characteristics of these subjects were analyzed. Genotyping of 4 SNPs (rs1050903, rs2855512, rs11959928, and rs2255280) of the Dab2 gene was performed in all subjects with an improved multiplex ligase detection reaction method.The distribution of the genotype, dominant model (AA vs. AC + CC), as well as allele frequencies of both rs2855512 and rs2255280, was significantly different between CAD patients and control subjects in Han population but not in Uyghur population. AA genotype may be a risk factor for CAD. For Han population, statistical significant correlation between dominant model for both SNPs (AA) and CAD was found after multivariate adjustment. After multivariate adjustment in the Han population, we speculate that rs285512 A allele and rs2255280 A allele may be potentially associated with the onset of coronary heart disease. Individuals with the AA genotype had an OR of 1.44 (95% CI: 1.10–1.88, P = .01, rs2855512) and 1.41 (95% CI: 1.08–1.85, P = .01, rs2255280) for CAD compared with individuals with the AC or CC genotype, respectively.Our data indicates that the AA genotype of rs2855512 and rs2255280 in the Dab2 gene may be a genetic marker of CAD risk in Chinese Han population.

Sequential screening nominates the Parkinson's disease associated kinase LRRK2 as a regulator of Clathrin-mediated endocytosis

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are an established cause of inherited Parkinson's disease (PD). LRRK2 is expressed in both neurons and glia in the central nervous system, but its physiological function(s) in each of these cell types is uncertain. Through sequential screens, we report a functional interaction between LRRK2 and Clathrin adaptor protein complex 2 (AP2). Analysis of LRRK2 KO tissue revealed a significant dysregulation of AP2 complex components, suggesting LRRK2 may act upstream of AP2. In line with this hypothesis, expression of LRRK2 was found to modify recruitment and phosphorylation of AP2. Furthermore, expression of LRRK2 containing the R1441C pathogenic mutation resulted in impaired clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). A decrease in activity-dependent synaptic vesicle endocytosis was also observed in neurons harboring an endogenous R1441C LRRK2 mutation. Alongside LRRK2, several PD-associated genes intersect with membrane-trafficking pathways. To investigate the genetic association between Clathrin-trafficking and PD, we used polygenetic risk profiling from IPDGC genome wide association studies (GWAS) datasets. Clathrin-dependent endocytosis genes were found to be associated with PD across multiple cohorts, suggesting common variants at these loci represent a cumulative risk factor for disease. Taken together, these findings suggest CME is a LRRK2-mediated, PD relevant pathway.

Regulation of clathrin adaptor protein complex‐1(AP‐1) by a Laa1 protein containing complex

The clathrin adaptor protein complex‐1 (AP‐1) is a critical regulator of membrane traffic at the trans‐Golgi network. Its recruitment depends on the function of the small GTPase‐Arf1, phosphatidyl‐inositides, and members of the HEATR5 family, a poorly characterized family of proteins with members found in all eukaryotes. Although members of the HEATR5 family are known to be important for AP‐1 localization in diverse organisms, how they contributed to AP‐1 recruitment was unclear. We recently identified a conserved co‐factor for the yeast HEATR5 protein, Laa1, that acts as an AP‐1 binding cofactor. This co‐factor, Laa2, binds directly to AP‐1 and this interaction is required for AP‐1 localization, suggesting that direct interaction between the Laa1‐Laa2 protein complex and AP‐1 is essential for AP‐1 localization. Using proteomics and database mining, we have identified additional binding partners for Laa1. Phenotypic analysis suggests these binding partners are required for normal AP‐1 function, similar to Laa1 and Laa2. Here, we report the network of physical interactions between Laa1, Laa2, and two additional binding partners. Moreover, we find many of these proteins are unstable in the absence of their binding partners suggesting they may for a stable complex in vivo. These results suggest that a multi‐subunit complex centered on Laa1 controls AP‐1 functions.Support or Funding InformationProtein Folding Disease Initiative at the University of Michigan NIGMS R01 GM129255

The C‐terminal Domain of AAGAB Mediates Tetramerization and Stability

In clathrin‐mediated endocytosis (CME), the coat protein clathrin relies on cargo adaptors such as the heterotetrameric AP2 adaptor complex to recruit cargo proteins to endocytic sites. It was previously thought that multimeric cargo adaptors such as AP2 adaptor assemble spontaneously. However, we recently discovered that AP2 adaptor assembly is an ordered process controlled by alpha and gamma adaptin binding protein (AAGAB). Without the assistance of AAGAB, AP2 adaptor fails to form, leading to CME defects. Heterozygous AAGAB mutations cause human diseases such as puncate palmoplantar keratoderma type 1 (PPKP1), a skin disorder characterized by lesions on palms and soles. However, the biochemical property and structure of AAGAB remain to be established. AAGAB is a soluble protein with two conserved regions – an N‐terminal G protein‐like domain (G domain) and a C‐terminal domain not similar to any known protein domain. We found that the full‐length AAGAB exists entirely as a homotetramer in solution and the tetramerization is mediated by its C‐terminal domain. Using X‐ray crystallography, we solved the atomic structure of the C‐terminal tetramerization domain (TD). The structure unveiled that the TD tetramer is formed by dimerization of two dimers. Furthermore, we observed that the expression level of the TD‐deficient AAGAB mutant (AAGABdeltaTD) in cells was drastically reduced compared to full‐length AAGAB. Together, our findings demonstrated that the TD mediates AAGAB tetramerization and is required for the stability of free AAGAB proteins prior to AP2 binding. These data also provide the first molecular explanation for the disease‐causing nonsense mutations found on AAGAB lacking the C‐terminal tetramerization domain.Support or Funding InformationFlorida State University startup funds to Yin; NIH/NIDDK R56 DK095367 to Shen; NIH/NIAID R21 AI128443 to Shen and Li.

Nef Dimerization is Required for Antagonism of the Host Cell Restriction Factor, SERINC5

HIV‐1 Nef is a virulence factor that is essential for immune escape of HIV‐infected cells, viral pathogenesis and AIDS progression. Nef lacks intrinsic biochemical activity, functioning instead by interacting with host cell effector proteins to hijack multiple signaling and endocytic pathways. Many Nef functions depend on dimerization of the protein, including enhancement of viral infectivity, replication, and immune cell receptor downregulation. Work in our lab, through both X‐ray crystallography and virological assays, has shown that distinct hydrophobic residues (L112, Y115, F121) are key in Nef dimer formation, and disruption of these residues significantly impairs many Nef functions. Pharmacologic disruption of the Nef homodimer may therefore represent a novel approach to antiretroviral therapy.Here we investigated whether Nef dimerization is required for antagonism of the host cell restriction factor SERINC5 (S5). S5 is a potent suppressor of HIV‐1 infectivity that is antagonized by Nef via binding and downregulating S5 from the surface of infected cells, preventing its incorporation into nascent virions. For our studies, HIV‐1 virions were produced in 293T cells transfected with the HIV‐1 provirus and S5, Jurkat WT and S5‐knockout cells, or donor PBMCs (which naturally express high levels of S5). Viral supernatants were harvested from these “producer” cells and normalized for p24 AlphaLISA. Infectivity of producer‐cell viruses was assessed using TZM‐bl reporter cells, which couple the HIV‐1 LTR to expression of luciferase. Mutation of conserved Nef residues essential for homodimerization (L112A/D, Y115D, F121A) reduced the infectivity of HIV‐1 produced from all three producer cell lines in a S5‐dependent manner. S5 incorporation into virions was increased in the presence of Nef dimer interface mutants, suggesting that dimerization is important in its ability to exclude S5 from newly synthesized virions. Recruitment, downregulation, and endocytic trafficking of S5 by wild type and dimerization‐defective Nef mutants were also examined via confocal microscopy. Nef dimer interface mutants also failed to induce colocalization of S5 with Rab7+ late endosomes, suggesting that Nef dimerization is essential for S5 internalization and degradation via the lyso‐endosomal pathway. By contrast, Nef mutants retained their ability to interact with both S5 and subunits of the AP‐2 clathrin adaptor protein essential for S5 endocytosis, as shown via bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that downregulation of S5 and subsequent enhancement of viral infectivity requires Nef homodimerization, providing further support for pharmacological targeting of Nef quaternary structure in HIV‐1 cure strategies.

Two Functional Variants of AP-1 Complexes Composed of either γ2 or γ1 Subunits Are Independently Required for Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Downregulation by HIV-1 Nef.

The HIV-1 accessory protein Nef downregulates the cell surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules to facilitate virus spreading. The Nef-induced downregulation of MHC-I molecules such as HLA-A requires the clathrin adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) complex. The cooperative interaction of Nef, AP-1, and the cytosolic tail (CT) of HLA-A leads to a redirection of HLA-A targeting from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to lysosomes for degradation. Although the γ-adaptin subunit of AP-1 has two distinct isoforms (γ1 and γ2), which may form two AP-1 complex variants, so far, only the importance of AP-1γ1 in MHC-I downregulation by Nef has been investigated. Here, we report that the AP-1γ2 isoform also participates in this process. We found that AP-1γ2 forms a complex with Nef and HLA-A2_CT and that this interaction depends on the Y320 residue in HLA-A2_CT and Nef expression. Moreover, Nef targets AP-1γ1 and AP-1γ2 to different compartments in T cells, and the depletion of either AP-1 variant impairs the Nef-mediated reduction of total endogenous HLA-A levels and rescues HLA-A levels on the cell surface. Finally, immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy analyses reveal that the depletion of γ2 in T cells compromises both the Nef-mediated retention of HLA-A molecules in the TGN and targeting to multivesicular bodies/late endosomes. Altogether, these results show that in addition to AP-1γ1, Nef also requires the AP-1γ2 variant for efficient MHC-I downregulation.IMPORTANCE HIV-1 Nef mediates evasion of the host immune system by inhibiting MHC-I surface presentation of viral antigens. To achieve this goal, Nef modifies the intracellular trafficking of MHC-I molecules in several ways. Despite being the subject of intense study, the molecular details underlying these modifications are not yet fully understood. Adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) plays an essential role in the Nef-mediated downregulation of MHC-I molecules such as HLA-A in different cell types. However, AP-1 has two functionally distinct variants composed of either γ1 or γ2 subunit isoforms. Because previous studies on the role of AP-1 in MHC-I downregulation by Nef focused on AP-1γ1, an important open question is the participation of AP-1γ2 in this process. Here, we show that AP-1γ2 is also essential for Nef-mediated depletion of surface HLA-A molecules in T cells. Our results indicate that Nef hijacks AP-1γ2 to modify HLA-A intracellular transport, redirecting these proteins to lysosomes for degradation.

Picalm reduction exacerbates tau pathology in a murine tauopathy model.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified PICALM as one of the most significant susceptibility loci for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) after APOE and BIN1. PICALM is a clathrin-adaptor protein and plays critical roles in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and in autophagy. PICALM modulates brain amyloid ß (Aß) pathology and tau accumulation. We have previously reported that soluble PICALM protein level is reduced in correlation with abnormalities of autophagy markers in the affected brain areas of neurodegenerative diseases including AD, sporadic tauopathies and familial cases of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau-immunoreactive inclusions (FTLD-tau) with mutations in the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene. It remains unclarified whether in vivo PICALM reduction could either trigger or influence tau pathology progression in the brain. In this study, we confirmed a significant reduction of soluble PICALM protein and autophagy deficits in the post-mortem human brains of FTLD-tau-MAPT (P301L, S364S and L266V). We generated a novel transgenic mouse line named Tg30xPicalm+/-by crossing Tg30 tau transgenic mice with Picalm-haploinsufficient mice to test whether Picalm reduction may modulate tau pathology. While Picalm haploinsufficiency did not lead to any motor phenotype or detectable tau pathology in mouse brains, Tg30xPicalm+/- mice developed markedly more severe motor deficits than Tg30 by the age of 9months. Tg30xPicalm+/- had significantly higher pathological tau levels in the brain, an increased density of neurofibrillary tangles compared to Tg30 mice and increased abnormalities of autophagy markers. Our results demonstrate that Picalm haploinsufficiency in transgenic Tg30 mice significantly aggravated tau pathologies and tau-mediated neurodegeneration, supporting a role for changes in Picalm expression as a risk/sensitizing factor for development of tau pathology and as a mechanism underlying the AD risk associated to PICALM.

Modification of pfap2μ and pfubp1 Markedly Reduces Ring-Stage Susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to Artemisinin In Vitro.

Management of uncomplicated malaria worldwide is threatened by the emergence in Asia of Plasmodium falciparum carrying variants of the pfk13 locus and exhibiting reduced susceptibility to artemisinin. Mutations in two other genes, ubp1 and ap2μ, are associated with artemisinin resistance in rodent malaria and with clinical failure of combination therapy in African malaria patients. Transgenic P. falciparum clones, each carrying orthologues of mutations in pfap2μ and pfubp1 associated with artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium chabaudi, were derived by Cas9 gene editing. Susceptibility to artemisinin and other antimalarial drugs was determined. Following exposure to 700 nM dihydroartemisinin in the ring-stage survival assay, we found strong evidence that transgenic parasites expressing the I592T variant (11% survival), but not the S160N variant (1% survival), of the AP2μ adaptin subunit were significantly less susceptible than the parental wild-type parasite population. The V3275F variant of UBP1, but not the V3306F variant, also displayed reduced susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin (8.5% survival versus 0.5% survival). AP2μ and UBP1 variants did not elicit reduced susceptibility to 48 h of exposure to artemisinin or to other antimalarial drugs. Therefore, variants of the AP2 adaptor complex μ-subunit and of the ubiquitin hydrolase UBP1 reduce in vitro artemisinin susceptibility at the early ring stage in P. falciparum These findings confirm the existence of multiple pathways to perturbation of either the mode of action of artemisinin, the parasite's adaptive mechanisms of resistance, or both. The cellular role of UBP1 and AP2μ in Plasmodium parasites should now be elucidated.

Endocytic Adaptor Proteins in Health and Disease: Lessons from Model Organisms and Human Mutations.

Cells need to exchange material and information with their environment. This is largely achieved via cell-surface receptors which mediate processes ranging from nutrient uptake to signaling responses. Consequently, their surface levels have to be dynamically controlled. Endocytosis constitutes a powerful mechanism to regulate the surface proteome and to recycle vesicular transmembrane proteins that strand at the plasma membrane after exocytosis. For efficient internalization, the cargo proteins need to be linked to the endocytic machinery via adaptor proteins such as the heterotetrameric endocytic adaptor complex AP-2 and a variety of mostly monomeric endocytic adaptors. In line with the importance of endocytosis for nutrient uptake, cell signaling and neurotransmission, animal models and human mutations have revealed that defects in these adaptors are associated with several diseases ranging from metabolic disorders to encephalopathies. This review will discuss the physiological functions of the so far known adaptor proteins and will provide a comprehensive overview of their links to human diseases.

Emerging roles of Golgi/endosome-localizing monomeric clathrin adaptors GGAs.

GGAs (Golgi-localized, γ-adaptin ear-containing, ADP ribosylation factor [Arf]-binding proteins) are a family of ubiquitously expressed, Arf-dependent monomeric clathrin adaptor proteins, and are conserved from yeast to humans. Mammals have three GGAs (GGA1-3) that work not only at the trans-Golgi network, but also in endosomes to sort transmembrane cargo proteins such as mannose 6-phosphate receptors, sortilin, β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1, and epidermal growth factor receptor. The cytoplasmic regions of these cargoes possess motifs of acidic amino acid cluster-dileucine and/or ubiquitination sites, which can be recognized by GGAs. Despite seminal investigations of the three molecules, their in vivo roles and functional redundancies, as well as relationships with a heterotetrameric adaptor protein, AP-1, which is functionally similar to GGAs were still poorly understood. Studies over the past two decades, however, discovered several new GGA cargoes, their interaction modes, and accessory proteins. These findings collectively suggest distinct and more fundamental roles of each GGA in regulating neuronal survival, lipid metabolism, and cell proliferation. This review aims to provide an update to the GGA research focusing on how GGAs became considered not only as players in the context of the TGN-endosome transport, but also as key regulators for physiologically and pathologically important phenomena.

The role of Ap2a2 in PPARα-mediated regulation of lipolysis in adipose tissue.

Adipose tissue plays a major role in the regulation of systemic metabolic homeostasis, with the AP2 adaptor complex being important in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) of various cell surface receptors, including glucose transporter 4, the insulin receptor, and β-adrenergic receptors (ARs). One of the AP2 subunits, adaptor-related protein complex 2, α2 subunit (Ap2a2), has recently been identified as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α target gene. The effects of PPARα on the AP2 adaptor complex and CME are unknown. We generated adipocyte-specific Ap2a2 knockout mice and investigated their metabolism when fed a standard chow or high-fat diet, without and with supplementation with the PPARα-agonist WY-14643 (WY). Although Ap2a2 deletion had only minor effects on glycaemic control, it led to substantial impairment in β-adrenergic activation of lipolysis, as evidenced by a loss of cAMP response, PKA activation, and glycerol/fatty acid release. These differences were related to increased cell surface localization of the β2- and β3-ARs. Lipolytic defects were accompanied by impaired WY-mediated loss of fat mass and whole-body fat oxidation. This study demonstrates a novel role for PPARα in β-adrenergic regulation of adipose tissue lipolysis and for adipose tissue in supplying adequate substrate to other peripheral tissues to accommodate the increase in systemic fatty acid oxidation that occurs upon treatment with PPARα agonists.-Montgomery, M. K., Bayliss, J., Keenan, S., Rhost, S., Ting, S. B., Watt, M. J. The role of Ap2a2 in PPARα-mediated regulation of lipolysis in adipose tissue.

AP3M harbors actin filament binding activity that is crucial for vacuole morphology and stomatal closure in Arabidopsis

Stomatal movement is essential for plant growth. This process is precisely regulated by various cellular activities in guard cells. F-actin dynamics and vacuole morphology are both involved in stomatal movement. The sorting of cargoes by clathrin adaptor protein (AP) complexes from the Golgi to the vacuole is critical for establishing a normal vacuole morphology. In this study, we demonstrate that the medium subunit of the AP3 complex (AP3M) binds to and severs actin filaments in vitro and that it participates in the sorting of cargoes (such as the sucrose exporter SUC4) to the tonoplast, and thereby regulates stomatal closure in Arabidopsis thaliana Defects in AP3 or SUC4 led to more rapid water loss and delayed stomatal closure, as well as hypersensitivity to drought stress. In ap3m mutants, the F-actin status was altered compared to the wild type, and the sorted cargoes failed to localize to the tonoplast. AP3M contains a previously unidentified F-actin binding domain that is conserved in AP3M homologs in both plants and animals. Mutations in the F-actin binding domain of AP3M abolished its F-actin binding activity in vitro, leading to an aberrant vacuole morphology and reduced levels of SUC4 on the tonoplast in guard cells. Our findings indicate that the F-actin binding activity of AP3M is required for the precise localization of AP3-dependent cargoes to the tonoplast and for the regulation of vacuole morphology in guard cells during stomatal closure.

Conformational regulation of AP1 and AP2 clathrin adaptor complexes.

Heterotetrameric clathrin adaptor protein complexes (APs) orchestrate the formation of coated vesicles for transport among organelles of the cell periphery. AP1 binds membranes enriched for phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, such as the trans Golgi network, while AP2 associates with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate of the plasma membrane. At their respective membranes, AP1 and AP2 bind the cytoplasmic tails of transmembrane protein cargo and clathrin triskelions, thereby coupling cargo recruitment to coat polymerization. Structural, biochemical and genetic studies have revealed that APs undergo conformational rearrangements and reversible phosphorylation to cycle between different activity states. While membrane, cargo and clathrin have been demonstrated to promote AP activation, growing evidence supports that membrane-associated proteins such as Arf1 and FCHo also stimulate this transition. APs may be returned to the inactive state via a regulated process involving phosphorylation and a protein called NECAP. Finally, because antiviral mechanisms often rely on appropriate trafficking of membrane proteins, viruses have evolved novel strategies to evade host defenses by influencing the conformation of APs. This review will cover recent advances in our understanding of the molecular inputs that stimulate AP1 and AP2 to adopt structurally and functionally distinct configurations.

Metallophosphoesterase regulates light-induced rhodopsin endocytosis by promoting an association between arrestin and the adaptor protein AP2

Light-induced endocytosis of rhodopsin in the retina is critical for preventing photoreceptor hyperactivity and for the survival of photoreceptor cells. In Drosophila, this process is mediated by arrestin1 (Arr1). Because Arr1 lacks a clathrin-binding domain required for receptor internalization and the C-terminal sequence that interacts with the β-subunit of the clathrin adaptor protein AP2, the mechanism of how Arr1 mediates endocytosis of the major rhodopsin Rh1 is unclear. Here, using several approaches, including Arr binding and pulldown assays, immunofluorescence techniques, and EM imaging, we found that Drosophila metallophosphoesterase (dMPPE) is involved in light-induced rhodopsin endocytosis. We observed that the photoreceptor cells of a dmppe mutant exhibit impaired light-induced rhodopsin endocytosis and that this impairment is independent of dMPPE phosphoesterase activity. Furthermore, dMPPE directly interacted with Arr1 and promoted the association of Arr1 with AP2. Of note, genetic dmppe deletion largely prevented retinal degeneration in norpA (encoding phospholipase C) mutants, which were reported previously to contribute to retinal degeneration, by suppressing Rh1 endocytosis. Our findings demonstrate that Arr1 interacts with AP2 and that dMPPE functions as a critical regulator in Rh1 endocytosis and retinal degeneration.

The AP2 adaptor enhances clathrin coat stiffness.

Deformation of the plasma membrane into clathrin‐coated vesicles is a critical step in clathrin‐mediated endocytosis and requires the orchestrated assembly of clathrin and endocytic adaptors into a membrane‐associated protein coat. The individual role of these membrane‐bending and curvature‐stabilizing factors is subject to current debate. As such, it is unclear whether the clathrin coat itself is stiff enough to impose curvature and if so, whether this could be effectively transferred to the membrane by the linking adaptor proteins. We have recently demonstrated that clathrin alone is sufficient to form membrane buds in vitro. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to assess the contributions of clathrin and its membrane adaptor protein 2 (AP2) to clathrin coat stiffness, which determines the mechanics of vesicle formation. We found that clathrin coats are less than 10‐fold stiffer than the membrane they enclose, suggesting a delicate balance between the forces harnessed from clathrin coat formation and those required for membrane bending. We observed that clathrin adaptor protein AP2 increased the stiffness of coats formed from native clathrin, but did not affect less‐flexible coats formed from clathrin lacking the light chain subunits. We thus propose that clathrin light chains are important for clathrin coat flexibility and that AP2 facilitates efficient cargo sequestration during coated vesicle formation by modulating clathrin coat stiffness.

The Caenorhabditis elegans Tubby homolog dynamically modulates olfactory cilia membrane morphogenesis and phospholipid composition.

Plasticity in sensory signaling is partly mediated via regulated trafficking of signaling molecules to and from primary cilia. Tubby-related proteins regulate ciliary protein transport; however, their roles in remodeling cilia properties are not fully understood. We find that the C. elegans TUB-1 Tubby homolog regulates membrane morphogenesis and signaling protein transport in specialized sensory cilia. In particular, TUB-1 is essential for sensory signaling-dependent reshaping of olfactory cilia morphology. We show that compromised sensory signaling alters cilia membrane phosphoinositide composition via TUB-1-dependent trafficking of a PIP5 kinase. TUB-1 regulates localization of this lipid kinase at the cilia base in part via localization of the AP-2 adaptor complex subunit DPY-23. Our results describe new functions for Tubby proteins in the dynamic regulation of cilia membrane lipid composition, morphology, and signaling protein content, and suggest that this conserved family of proteins plays a critical role in mediating cilia structural and functional plasticity.

Overexpression of a Neuronal Type Adenylyl Cyclase (Type 8) in Sinoatrial Node Markedly Impacts Heart Rate and Rhythm

Heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), predictors of over-all organism health, are widely believed to be driven by autonomic input to the sinoatrial node (SAN), with sympathetic input increasing HR and reducing HRV. However, variability in spontaneous beating intervals in isolated SAN tissue and single SAN cells, devoid of autonomic neural input, suggests that clocks intrinsic to SAN cells may also contribute to HR and HRV in vivo. We assessed contributions of both intrinsic and autonomic neuronal input mechanisms of SAN cell function on HR and HRV via in vivo, telemetric EKG recordings. This was done in both wild type (WT) mice, and those in which adenylyl cyclase type 8 (ADCY8), a main driver of intrinsic cAMP-PKA-Ca2+ mediated pacemaker function, was overexpressed exclusively in the heart (TGAC8). We hypothesized that TGAC8 mice would: (1) manifest a more coherent pattern of HRV in vivo, i.e., a reduced HRV driven by mechanisms intrinsic to SAN cells, and less so to modulation by autonomic input and (2) utilize unique adaptations to limit sympathetic input to a heart with high levels of intrinsic cAMP-Ca2+ signaling. Increased adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity in TGAC8 SAN tissue was accompanied by a marked increase in HR and a concurrent marked reduction in HRV, both in the absence or presence of dual autonomic blockade. The marked increase in intrinsic HR and coherence of HRV in TGAC8 mice occurred in the context of: (1) reduced HR and HRV responses to β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation; (2) increased transcription of genes and expression of proteins [β-Arrestin, G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 (GRK5) and Clathrin Adaptor Protein (Dab2)] that desensitize β-AR signaling within SAN tissue, (3) reduced transcripts or protein levels of enzymes [dopamine beta-hydorxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT)] required for catecholamine production in intrinsic cardiac adrenergic cells, and (4) substantially reduced plasma catecholamine levels. Thus, mechanisms driven by cAMP-PKA-Ca2+ signaling intrinsic to SAN cells underlie the marked coherence of TGAC8 mice HRV. Adaptations to limit additional activation of AC signaling, via decreased neuronal sympathetic input, are utilized to ensure the hearts survival and prevent Ca2+ overload.