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Autophagy plays an important role in determining stem‐cell differentiation. During the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), autophagosome formation is upregulated but the reason is unknown. A long‐standing quest in the autophagy field is to find the membrane origin of autophagosomes. In this study, cytoplasmic coat protein complex II (COPII) vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum‐derived vesicles responsible for the transport of storage proteins to the Golgi, are demonstrated to be a critical source of osteoblastic autophagosomal membrane. A significant correlation between the number of COPII vesicle and the autophagy level is identified in the rat bone tissues. Disruption of COPII vesicles restrained osteogenesis and decreased the number and size of autophagosomes. SEC31a (an outer coat protein of COPII vesicle) is found to be vital to regulate COPII vesicle‐dependent autophagosome formation via interacting with ATG9a of autophagosomal seed vesicles. The interference of Sec31a inhibited autophagosome formation and osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. These results identified a novel mechanism of autophagosome formation in osteogenic differentiation of stem cells and identified SEC31a as a critical protein that mediates the interplay between COPII and ATG9a vesicles. These findings broaden the understanding of the regulatory mechanism in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant proteostasis is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Some proteostasis abnormalities are ameliorated by chaperones. Chaperones are divided into three groups: molecular, pharmacological and chemical. Chemical chaperones intended to alleviate stress in organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), are now being administered clinically. Of the chemical chaperones, 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) has been used as a research reagent, and its mechanism of action includes chaperone effects and the inhibition of histone deacetylase. Moreover, it also binds to the B-site of SEC24 and regulates COPII-mediated transport from the ER. Although its therapeutic effect may not be strong, elucidating the mechanism of action of 4-PBA may contribute to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Autophagy plays an important role in determining stem‐cell differentiation. During the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), autophagosome formation is upregulated but the reason is unknown. A long‐standing quest in the autophagy field is to find the membrane origin of autophagosomes. In this study, cytoplasmic coat protein complex II (COPII) vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum‐derived vesicles responsible for the transport of storage proteins to the Golgi, are demonstrated to be a critical source of osteoblastic autophagosomal membrane. A significant correlation between the number of COPII vesicle and the autophagy level is identified in the rat bone tissues. Disruption of COPII vesicles restrained osteogenesis and decreased the number and size of autophagosomes. SEC31a (an outer coat protein of COPII vesicle) is found to be vital to regulate COPII vesicle‐dependent autophagosome formation via interacting with ATG9a of autophagosomal seed vesicles. The interference of Sec31a inhibited autophagosome formation and osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. These results identified a novel mechanism of autophagosome formation in osteogenic differentiation of stem cells and identified SEC31a as a critical protein that mediates the interplay between COPII and ATG9a vesicles. These findings broaden the understanding of the regulatory mechanism in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.

Eukaryotic cells are highly compartmentalized, requiring elaborate transport mechanisms to facilitate the movement of proteins between membrane‐bound compartments. Most proteins synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are transported to the Golgi apparatus through COPII‐mediated vesicular trafficking. Sar1, a small GTPase that facilitates the formation of COPII vesicles, plays a critical role in the early steps of this protein secretory pathway. Sar1 was characterized in yeast, animals and plants, but no Sar1 homolog has been identified and functionally analyzed in algae. Here we identified a putative Sar1 homolog (CrSar1) in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through amino acid sequence similarity. We employed site‐directed mutagenesis to generate a dominant‐negative mutant of CrSar1 (CrSar1DN). Using protein secretion assays, we demonstrate the inhibitory effect of CrSar1DN on protein secretion. However, different from previously studied organisms, ectopic expression of CrSar1DN did not result in collapse of the ER‐Golgi interface in Chlamydomonas. Nonetheless, our data suggest a largely conserved role of CrSar1 in the ER‐to‐Golgi protein secretory pathway in green algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Eukaryotic cells are highly compartmentalized, requiring elaborate transport mechanisms to facilitate the movement of proteins between membrane‐bound compartments. Most proteins synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are transported to the Golgi apparatus through COPII‐mediated vesicular trafficking. Sar1, a small GTPase that facilitates the formation of COPII vesicles, plays a critical role in the early steps of this protein secretory pathway. Sar1 was characterized in yeast, animals and plants, but no Sar1 homolog has been identified and functionally analyzed in algae. Here we identified a putative Sar1 homolog (CrSar1) in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through amino acid sequence similarity. We employed site‐directed mutagenesis to generate a dominant‐negative mutant of CrSar1 (CrSar1DN). Using protein secretion assays, we demonstrate the inhibitory effect of CrSar1DN on protein secretion. However, different from previously studied organisms, ectopic expression of CrSar1DN did not result in collapse of the ER‐Golgi interface in Chlamydomonas. Nonetheless, our data suggest a largely conserved role of CrSar1 in the ER‐to‐Golgi protein secretory pathway in green algae.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine hormone that regulates glucose, lipid, and energy homeostasis. While gene expression of FGF21 is regulated by the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in the fasted state, little is known about the regulation of trafficking and secretion of FGF21. We show that mice with a mutation in the Yip1 domain family, member 6 gene (Klein-Zschocher [KLZ]; Yipf6KLZ/Y ) on a high-fat diet (HFD) have higher plasma levels of FGF21 than mice that do not carry this mutation (controls) and hepatocytes from Yipf6KLZ/Y mice secrete more FGF21 than hepatocytes from wild-type mice. Consequently, Yipf6KLZ/Y mice are resistant to HFD-induced features of the metabolic syndrome and have increased lipolysis, energy expenditure, and thermogenesis, with an increase in core body temperature. Yipf6KLZ/Y mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of FGF21 were no longer protected from diet-induced obesity. We show that YIPF6 binds FGF21 in the endoplasmic reticulum to limit its secretion and specifies packaging of FGF21 into coat protein complex II (COPII) vesicles during development of obesity in mice. Levels of YIPF6 protein in human liver correlate with hepatic steatosis and correlate inversely with levels of FGF21 in serum from patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). YIPF6 is therefore a newly identified regulator of FGF21 secretion during development of obesity and could be a target for treatment of obesity and NAFLD.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the start site of the secretory pathway, where newly synthesized secreted and membrane proteins are packaged into COPII vesicles through direct interaction with the COPII coat or aided by specific cargo receptors. Little is known about how post-translational modification events regulate packaging of cargo into COPII vesicles. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Erv14, also known as cornichon, belongs to a conserved family of cargo receptors required for the selection and ER export of transmembrane proteins. In this work, we show the importance of a phosphorylation consensus site (S134) at the C-terminus of Erv14. Mimicking phosphorylation of S134 (S134D) prevents the incorporation of Erv14 into COPII vesicles, delays cell growth, exacerbates growth of sec mutants, modifies ER structure and affects localization of several plasma membrane transporters. In contrast, the dephosphorylated mimic (S134A) had less deleterious effects, but still modifies ER structure and slows cell growth. Our results suggest that a possible cycle of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is important for the correct functioning of Erv14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SelenoproteinK (SelK), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) - resident protein, possesses the property of mediate oxidation resistance and ER - associated protein degradation (ERAD) in several tissues. Here, we found that increased SelK markedly promotes fatty acid translocase (CD36) subcellular trafficking and aggravates lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. We demonstrated that SelK is required for the assembly of COPII vesicles and accelerates transport of palmitoylated-CD36 from the ER to Golgi, thus facilitating CD36 plasma membrane distribution both in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism is that SelK increases the stability of Sar1B and triggers CD36-containing nascent COPII vesicle formation, consequently, promotes CD36 subcellular trafficking. Furthermore, we verified that the intervention of SelK SH3 binding domain can inhibit the vesicle formation and CD36 subcellular trafficking, significantly ameliorates NAFLD in mice. Collectively, our findings disclose an unexpected role of SelK in regulating NAFLD development, suggesting that targeting the SelK of hepatocytes may be a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.

Most secretory cargo proteins in eukaryotes are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and actively exported in membrane-bound vesicles that are formed by the cytosolic coat protein complex II (COPII). COPII proteins are assisted by a variety of cargo-specific adaptor proteins required for the concentration and export of secretory proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Adaptor proteins are key regulators of cargo export, and defects in their function may result in disease phenotypes in mammals. Here we report the role of 14-3-3 proteins as a cytosolic adaptor in mediating SAC1 transport in COPII-coated vesicles. Sac1 is a phosphatidyl inositol-4 phosphate (PI4P) lipid phosphatase that undergoes serum dependent translocation between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex and controls cellular PI4P lipid levels. We developed a cell-free COPII vesicle budding reaction to examine SAC1 exit from the ER that requires COPII and at least one additional cytosolic factor, the 14-3-3 protein. Recombinant 14-3-3 protein stimulates the packaging of SAC1 into COPII vesicles and the sorting subunit of COPII, Sec24, interacts with 14-3-3. We identified a minimal sorting motif of SAC1 that is important for 14-3-3 binding and which controls SAC1 export from the ER. This LS motif is part of a 7-aa stretch, RLSNTSP, which is similar to the consensus 14-3-3 binding sequence. Homology models, based on the SAC1 structure from yeast, predict this region to be in the exposed exterior of the protein. Our data suggest a model in which the 14-3-3 protein mediates SAC1 traffic from the ER through direct interaction with a sorting signal and COPII.

ABSTRACT TANGO1 (transport and Golgi organization‐1 homolog) encodes a transmembrane protein, which is located at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites where it binds bulky cargo, such as collagens, in the lumen and recruits membranes from the ER‐Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) to create an export route for cargo secretion. Mice lacking Mia3 (murine TANGO1 orthologue) show defective secretion of numerous procollagens and lead to neonatal lethality due to insufficient bone mineralization. Recently, aberrant expression of truncated TANGO1 in humans has been shown to cause a mild‐to‐moderate severe collagenopathy associated with dentinogenesis imperfecta, short stature, skeletal abnormalities, diabetes mellitus, and mild intellectual disability. We now show for the first time that complete loss of TANGO1 results in human embryonic lethality with near‐total bone loss and phenocopies the situation of Mia3−/− mice. Whole‐exome sequencing on genomic DNA (gDNA) of an aborted fetus of Indian descent revealed a homozygous 4‐base pair (4‐bp) deletion in TANGO1 that is heterozygously present in both healthy parents. Parental fibroblast studies showed decreased TANGO1 mRNA expression and protein levels. Type I collagen secretion and extracellular matrix organization were normal, supporting a threshold model for clinical phenotype development. As such, our report broadens the phenotypic and mutational spectrum of TANGO1‐related collagenopathies, and underscores the crucial role of TANGO1 for normal bone development, of which deficiency results in a severe‐to‐lethal form of osteochondrodysplasia. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

TANGO1 (transport and Golgi organization‐1 homolog) encodes a transmembrane protein, which is located at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites where it binds bulky cargo, such as collagens, in the lumen and recruits membranes from the ER‐Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) to create an export route for cargo secretion. Mice lacking Mia3 (murine TANGO1 orthologue) show defective secretion of numerous procollagens and lead to neonatal lethality due to insufficient bone mineralization. Recently, aberrant expression of truncated TANGO1 in humans has been shown to cause a mild‐to‐moderate severe collagenopathy associated with dentinogenesis imperfecta, short stature, skeletal abnormalities, diabetes mellitus, and mild intellectual disability. We now show for the first time that complete loss of TANGO1 results in human embryonic lethality with near‐total bone loss and phenocopies the situation of Mia3−/− mice. Whole‐exome sequencing on genomic DNA (gDNA) of an aborted fetus of Indian descent revealed a homozygous 4‐base pair (4‐bp) deletion in TANGO1 that is heterozygously present in both healthy parents. Parental fibroblast studies showed decreased TANGO1 mRNA expression and protein levels. Type I collagen secretion and extracellular matrix organization were normal, supporting a threshold model for clinical phenotype development. As such, our report broadens the phenotypic and mutational spectrum of TANGO1‐related collagenopathies, and underscores the crucial role of TANGO1 for normal bone development, of which deficiency results in a severe‐to‐lethal form of osteochondrodysplasia. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism and regulation of fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes/vacuoles are still only partially understood in both yeast and mammals. In yeast, this fusion step requires SNARE proteins, the homotypic vacuole fusion and protein sorting (HOPS) tethering complex, the RAB7 GTPase Ypt7, and its guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Mon1‐Ccz1. We and others recently identified Ykt6 as the autophagosomal SNARE protein. However, it has not been resolved when and how lipid‐anchored Ykt6 is recruited onto autophagosomes. Here, we show that Ykt6 is recruited at an early stage of the formation of these carriers through a mechanism that depends on endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐resident Dsl1 complex and COPII‐coated vesicles. Importantly, Ykt6 activity on autophagosomes is regulated by the Atg1 kinase complex, which inhibits Ykt6 through direct phosphorylation. Thus, our findings indicate that the Ykt6 pool on autophagosomal membranes is kept inactive by Atg1 phosphorylation, and once an autophagosome is ready to fuse with vacuole, Ykt6 dephosphorylation allows its engagement in the fusion event. Synopsis: The SNARE Ykt6 required the Dsl1 complex to be recruited to autophagosomes. There, it is kept inactive by Atg1 kinase phosphorylation until autophagosomes are ready to fuse with vacuoles. Mutants in Dsl1 complex subunits impair Ykt6 recruitment to autophagosomes.Atg1 kinase directly phosphorylates Ykt6 within its SNARE domain.Atg1 controls the fusogenic activity of Ykt6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new study has identified the proteins that adapt COPII vesicles to the needs of starving cells.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine hormone that regulates glucose, lipid, and energy homeostasis. While gene expression of FGF21 is regulated by the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in the fasted state, little is known about the regulation of trafficking and secretion of FGF21. We show that mice with a mutation in the Yip1 domain family, member 6 gene (Klein-Zschocher [KLZ]; Yipf6KLZ/Y) on a high-fat diet (HFD) have higher plasma levels of FGF21 than mice that do not carry this mutation (controls) and hepatocytes from Yipf6KLZ/Y mice secrete more FGF21 than hepatocytes from wild-type mice. Consequently, Yipf6KLZ/Y mice are resistant to HFD-induced features of the metabolic syndrome and have increased lipolysis, energy expenditure, and thermogenesis, with an increase in core body temperature. Yipf6KLZ/Y mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of FGF21 were no longer protected from diet-induced obesity. We show that YIPF6 binds FGF21 in the endoplasmic reticulum to limit its secretion and specifies packaging of FGF21 into coat protein complex II (COPII) vesicles during development of obesity in mice. Levels of YIPF6 protein in human liver correlate with hepatic steatosis and correlate inversely with levels of FGF21 in serum from patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). YIPF6 is therefore a newly identified regulator of FGF21 secretion during development of obesity and could be a target for treatment of obesity and NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional secretory pathway is indispensable for eukaryotic cells. Newly synthesized membrane and secretory proteins are released from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through ER-derived vesicles to their appropriate destination. Vesicle formation is important for steady protein trafficking. O-GlcNAcylation (O-GlcNAc) is a unique protein glycosylation signature, whose dynamic regulation by O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase occurs exclusively for nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. Because of this locally limited property, the role of O-GlcNAc in the conventional protein secretory pathway is unknown. We report that Sec31A on COPII vesicles, a specific coat-protein complex for anterograde trafficking in the ER-Golgi network, is O-GlcNAcylated on S964, which accelerates COPII vesicle formation through control of its binding affinity to apoptosis-linked gene 2, a calcium-binding protein. Together, O-GlcNAc on Sec31A regulates conventional secretory vesicle trafficking in the ER-Golgi network. These modifications accelerate COPII vesicle formation and accelerated anterograde transport of vesicles within the ER-Golgi networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scap is a polytopic membrane protein that functions as a molecular machine to control the cholesterol content of membranes in mammalian cells. In the 21 years since our laboratory discovered Scap, we have learned how it binds sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) and transports them from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi for proteolytic processing. Proteolysis releases the SREBP transcription factor domains, which enter the nucleus to promote cholesterol synthesis and uptake. When cholesterol in ER membranes exceeds a threshold, the sterol binds to Scap, triggering several conformational changes that prevent the Scap-SREBP complex from leaving the ER. As a result, SREBPs are no longer processed, cholesterol synthesis and uptake are repressed, and cholesterol homeostasis is restored. This review focuses on the four domains of Scap that undergo concerted conformational changes in response to cholesterol binding. The data provide a molecular mechanism for the control of lipids in cell membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis plays a crucial role in metabolic plasticity and endocrine function of adipose tissue. High levels of intracellular endotrophin, a cleavage peptide of type VI collagen alpha 3 chain (Col6a3), have been frequently observed in adipocyte in obesity and diabetes. However, how endotrophin intracellularly traffics and influences metabolic homeostasis in adipocyte remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the trafficking of endotrophin and its metabolic effects in adipocytes depending on lean or obese condition. We used doxycycline-inducible adipocyte-specific endotrophin overexpressed mice for a gain-of-function study and CRISPR-Cas9 system-based Col6a3-deficient mice for a loss-of-function study. Various molecular and biochemical techniques were employed to examine the effects of endotrophin on metabolic parameters. In adipocytes during obesity, the majority of endosomal endotrophin escapes lysosomal degradation and is released into the cytosol to mediate direct interactions between SEC13, a major component of coat protein complex II (COPII) vesicles, and autophagy-related 7 (ATG7), leading to the increased formation of autophagosomes. Autophagosome accumulation disrupts the balance of autophagic flux, resulting in adipocyte death, inflammation, and insulin resistance. These adverse metabolic effects were ameliorated by either suppressing ATG7 with siRNA ex vivo or neutralizing endotrophin with monoclonal antibodies in vivo. High levels of intracellular endotrophin-mediated autophagic flux impairment in adipocyte contribute to metabolic dysfunction such as apoptosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance in obesity. [Display omitted] • Endocytosed endotrophin within adipocyte is increased in obesity. • In obesity, endosomal endotrophin is associated with the unconventional trafficking of COPII vesicles to late endosomes. • Intracellular endotrophin mediates the interaction between SEC13 and ATG7, promoting autophagosome formation. • Endotrophin-mediated autophagic flux impairment facilitates apoptosis, inflammation, and insulin resistance in obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiency and fidelity of protein secretion are achieved thanks to the presence of different steps, located sequentially in time and space along the secretory compartment, controlling protein folding and maturation. After entering into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), secretory proteins attain their native structure thanks to specific chaperones and enzymes. Only correctly folded molecules are allowed by quality control (QC) mechanisms to leave the ER and proceed to downstream compartments. Proteins that cannot fold properly are instead retained in the ER to be finally destined to proteasomal degradation. Exiting from the ER requires, in most cases, the use of coated vesicles, departing at the ER exit sites, which will fuse with the Golgi compartment, thus releasing their cargoes. Protein accumulation in the ER can be caused by a too stringent QC or by ineffective transport: these situations could be deleterious for the organism, due to the loss of the secreted protein, and to the cell itself, because of abnormal increase of protein concentration in the ER. In both cases, diseases can arise. In this review, we will describe the pathophysiology of protein folding and transport between the ER and the Golgi compartment.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)-derived COPII coated vesicles constitutively transport secretory cargo to the Golgi. However, during starvation-induced stress, COPII vesicles have been implicated as a membrane source for autophagosomes, distinct organelles that engulf cellular components for degradation by macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy). How cells regulate core trafficking machinery to fulfill dramatically different cellular roles in response to environmental cues is unknown. Here we show that phosphorylation of conserved amino acids on the membrane-distal surface of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae COPII cargo adaptor, Sec24, reprograms COPII vesicles for autophagy. We also show casein kinase 1 (Hrr25) is a key kinase that phosphorylates this regulatory surface. During autophagy, Sec24 phosphorylation regulates autophagosome number and its interaction with the C-terminus of Atg9, a component of the autophagy machinery required for autophagosome initiation. We propose that the acute need to produce autophagosomes during starvation drives the interaction of Sec24 with Atg9 to increase autophagosome abundance.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are biosynthesized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and transported via the Golgi apparatus to the extracellular space. The coat protein complex II (COPII) transport vesicles are approximately 60-90 nm in diameter. However, several ECM molecules are much larger, up to several hundreds of nanometers. Therefore, special COPII vesicles are required to coat and transport these molecules. Transmembrane Protein Transport and Golgi Organization 1 (TANGO1) facilitates loading of collagens into special vesicles. The Src homology 3 (SH3) domain of TANGO1 was proposed to recognize collagen molecules, but how the SH3 domain recognizes various types of collagen is not understood. Moreover, how are large noncollagenous ECM molecules transported from the rER to the Golgi? Here we identify heat shock protein (Hsp) 47 as a guide molecule directing collagens to special vesicles by interacting with the SH3 domain of TANGO1. We also consider whether the collagen secretory model applies to other large ECM molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most secretory cargo proteins in eukaryotes are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and actively exported in membranebound vesicles that are formed by the cytosolic coat protein complex II (COPII). COPII proteins are assisted by a variety of cargo-specific adaptor proteins required for the concentration and export of secretory proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Adaptor proteins are key regulators of cargo export, and defects in their function may result in disease phenotypes in mammals. Here we report the role of 14-3-3 proteins as a cytosolic adaptor in mediating SAC1 transport in COPII-coated vesicles. Sac1 is a phosphatidyl inositol-4 phosphate (PI4P) lipid phosphatase that undergoes serum dependent translocation between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex and controls cellular PI4P lipid levels. We developed a cell-free COPII vesicle budding reaction to examine SAC1 exit from the ER that requires COPII and at least one additional cytosolic factor, the 14-3-3 protein. Recombinant 14-3-3 protein stimulates the packaging of SAC1 into COPII vesicles and the sorting subunit of COPII, Sec24, interacts with 14-3-3. We identified a minimal sorting motif of SAC1 that is important for 14-3-3 binding and which controls SAC1 export from the ER. This LS motif is part of a 7-aa stretch, RLSNTSP, which is similar to the consensus 14-3-3 binding sequence. Homology models, based on the SAC1 structure from yeast, predict this region to be in the exposed exterior of the protein. Our data suggest a model in which the 14-3-3 protein mediates SAC1 traffic from the ER through direct interaction with a sorting signal and COPII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) represents the gateway for intracellular trafficking of membrane proteins, soluble cargoes and lipids. In all eukaryotes, the best described mechanism of exiting the ER is via COPII-coated vesicles, which transport both membrane proteins and soluble cargoes to the cis-Golgi. The vacuole, together with the plasma membrane, is the most distal point of the secretory pathway, and many vacuolar proteins are transported from the ER through intermediate compartments. However, past results and recent findings demonstrate the presence of alternative transport routes from the ER towards the tonoplast, which are independent of Golgi- and post-Golgi trafficking. Moreover, the transport mechanism of the vacuolar proton pumps VHA-a3 and AVP1 challenges the current model of vacuole biogenesis, pointing to the endoplasmic reticulum for being the main membrane source for the biogenesis of the plant lytic compartment. This review gives an overview of the current knowledge on the transport routes towards the vacuole and discusses the possible mechanism of vacuole biogenesis in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SelenoproteinK (SelK), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) - resident protein, possesses the property of mediate oxidation resistance and ER - associated protein degradation (ERAD) in several tissues. Here, we found that increased SelK markedly promotes fatty acid translocase (CD36) subcellular trafficking and aggravates lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. We demonstrated that SelK is required for the assembly of COPII vesicles and accelerates transport of palmitoylated-CD36 from the ER to Golgi, thus facilitating CD36 plasma membrane distribution both in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism is that SelK increases the stability of Sar1B and triggers CD36-containing nascent COPII vesicle formation, consequently, promotes CD36 subcellular trafficking. Furthermore, we verified that the intervention of SelK SH3 binding domain can inhibit the vesicle formation and CD36 subcellular trafficking, significantly ameliorates NAFLD in mice. Collectively, our findings disclose an unexpected role of SelK in regulating NAFLD development, suggesting that targeting the SelK of hepatocytes may be a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NAFLD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Protein secretion is an essential process that drives cell growth, movement, and communication. Protein traffic within the secretory pathway occurs via transport intermediates that bud from one compartment and fuse with a downstream compartment to deliver their contents. Here, we explore the possibility that protein secretion can be selectively inhibited by perturbing protein-protein interactions that drive capture into transport vesicles. Human proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a determinant of cholesterol metabolism whose secretion is mediated by a specific cargo adaptor protein, SEC24A. We map a series of protein-protein interactions between PCSK9, its endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export receptor SURF4, and SEC24A that mediate secretion of PCSK9. We show that the interaction between SURF4 and SEC24A can be inhibited by 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA), a small molecule that occludes a cargo-binding domain of SEC24. This inhibition reduces secretion of PCSK9 and additional SURF4 clients that we identify by mass spectrometry, leaving other secreted cargoes unaffected. We propose that selective small-molecule inhibition of cargo recognition by SEC24 is a potential therapeutic intervention for atherosclerosis and other diseases that are modulated by secreted proteins.

Arabidopsis bZIP28, an ER membrane-associated transcription factor, is activated in response to conditions that induce ER stress-adverse environmental conditions or exposure to ER stress agents such as tunicamycin and dithiothreitol. Upon stress treatment, bZIP28 exits the ER and moves to the Golgi, where it is proteolytically processed, releasing its transcriptional component, which relocates to the nucleus. In this study, we tracked the movement of GFP-tagged bZIP28 in an effort to understand its mobilization from the ER and release from the Golgi. We identified a small region in bZIP28 that is rich in dibasic amino acids and proximal to the transmembrane domain required for its movement from the ER. In response to ER stress, bZIP28 showed enhanced interaction with Sar1 and Sec12, components of the COPII machinery. We demonstrated that the dibasic amino acid-rich region in bZIP28 is involved in the interaction with Sar1. Upon migration to the Golgi, bZIP28 is proteolytically processed by proteases S1P and S2P. We found a putative helix-breaking residue in the transmembrane domain of bZIP28 to be crucial for its processing and liberation from Golgi bodies. Thus, in response to stress, bZIP28 moves from organelle to organelle by interaction of critical elements in the molecule with the transport and/or proteolytic machinery resident in the various organelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many eukaryotic secretory proteins are selected for export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through their interaction with the Sec24p subunit of the coat protein II (COPII) coat. Three distinct cargo-binding sites on yeast Sec24p have been described by biochemical, genetic and structural studies. Each site recognizes a limited set of peptide motifs or a folded structural domain, however, the breadth of cargo recognized by a given site and the dynamics of cargo engagement remain poorly understood. We aimed to gain further insight into the broader molecular function of one of these cargo-binding sites using a non-biased genetic approach. We exploited the in vivo lethality associated with mutation of the Sec24p B-site to identify genes that suppress this phenotype when overexpressed. We identified SMY2 as a general suppressor that rescued multiple defects in Sec24p, and SEC22 as a specific suppressor of two adjacent cargo-binding sites, raising the possibility of allosteric regulation of these domains. We generated a novel set of mutations in Sec24p that distinguish these two sites and examined the ability of Sec22p to rescue these mutations. Our findings suggest that co-operativity does not influence cargo capture at these sites, and that Sec22p rescue occurs via its function as a retrograde SNARE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of coat protein (COP)II vesicle fission from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) remains unclear. Lysophospholipid acyltransferases (LPATs) catalyze the conversion of various lysophospholipids to phospholipids, a process that can promote spontaneous changes in membrane curvature. Here, we show that 2,2-methyl- N-(2,4,6,-trimethoxyphenyl)dodecanamide (CI-976), a potent LPAT inhibitor, reversibly inhibited export from the ER in vivo and the formation of COPII vesicles in vitro. Moreover, CI-976 caused the rapid and reversible accumulation of cargo at ER exit sites (ERESs) containing the COPII coat components Sec23/24 and Sec13/31 and a marked enhancement of Sar1p-mediated tubule formation from ERESs, suggesting that CI-976 inhibits the fission of assembled COPII budding elements. These results identify a small molecule inhibitor of a very late step in COPII vesicle formation, consistent with fission inhibition, and demonstrate that this step is likely facilitated by an ER-associated LPAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two classes of sterols, cholesterol and oxysterols, block export of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi by preventing the binding of COPII-coated proteins to a hexapeptide sorting signal (MELADL) in Scap, the SREBP-escort protein. Here, we show that anti-MELADL blocks COPII binding in vitro, and microinjection of Fab anti- MELADL blocks Scap-SREBP movement in cells. Cholesterol and oxysterols block COPII binding to MELADL by binding to different intracellular receptors, cholesterol to Scap and oxysterols to Insig. Cysteine labeling shows that both binding events produce a conformational change near the MELADL sequence, abrogating COPII binding but not anti-MELADL binding. Mutagenesis experiments raise the possibility that the distance of MELADL from the ER membrane is crucial for COPII binding, and we speculate that sterols and Insig block SREBP transport by altering the location of MELADL with respect to the membrane, rendering it inaccessible to COPII proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesterol synthesis in animals is controlled by the regulated transport of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi, where the transcription factors are processed proteolytically to release active fragments. Transport is inhibited by either cholesterol or oxysterols, blocking cholesterol synthesis. Cholesterol acts by binding to the SREBP-escort protein Scap, thereby causing Scap to bind to anchor proteins called Insigs. Here, we show that oxysterols act by binding to Insigs, causing Insigs to bind to Scap. Mutational analysis of the six transmembrane helices of Insigs reveals that the third and fourth are important for Insig's binding to oxysterols and to Scap. These studies define Insigs as oxysterol-binding proteins, explaining the long-known ability of oxysterols to inhibit cholesterol synthesis in animal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sec12p, an ER membrane protein, carries out an essential function as the guanine nucleotide exchange factor of the small GTPase Sar1p. Sar1p-GTP is pivotal for the assembly of a coat protein complex, COPII, on the ER membrane, and thus Sec12p can be regarded as the initiator of vesicle budding from the ER. In an effort to identify genes that positively regulate Sec12p, we isolated IRE1 as a novel multicopy suppressor of the temperature-sensitive sec12-4 mutant. IRE1 encodes a transmembrane kinase/nuclease, which controls the unfolded protein response (UPR) to induce transcription of ER chaperones under stress conditions. The constitutive activation of the UPR by overexpression of either IRE1 or active mutant HAC1, a transcription factor responsible for the UPR, suppresses sec12-4. Interestingly, overproduction of some cargo proteins also results in suppression of sec12-4 through the activation of the UPR. The overexpression of IRE1 suppresses the sec mutants defective in vesicle budding from the ER but not others, highlighting a close relationship between the ER exit and the UPR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The upregulation of autophagosome formation in response to nutrient deprivation requires significant intracellular membrane rearrangements that are poorly understood. Recent findings have implicated COPII-coated vesicles, well known as ER-Golgi cargo transport carriers, as key players in macroautophagy. The role of COPII vesicles in macroautophagy and how they interact with autophagy-related (Atg) proteins was unknown. In our recent report, we show that during nutrient deprivation, phosphorylation of the membrane-distal surface of the COPII coat subunit Sec24 facilitates the interaction of Sec24 with the Atg machinery (specifically, Atg9) to regulate the abundance of autophagosomes during starvation. Phosphorylation of Sec24 is specifically required for macroautophagy, but not ER-Golgi transport. These findings begin to unravel the unique function of COPII vesicles during starvation-induced macroautophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Efficiency and fidelity of protein secretion are achieved thanks to the presence of different steps, located sequentially in time and space along the secretory compartment, controlling protein folding and maturation. After entering into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), secretory proteins attain their native structure thanks to specific chaperones and enzymes. Only correctly folded molecules are allowed by quality control (QC) mechanisms to leave the ER and proceed to downstream compartments. Proteins that cannot fold properly are instead retained in the ER to be finally destined to proteasomal degradation. Exiting from the ER requires, in most cases, the use of coated vesicles, departing at the ER exit sites, which will fuse with the Golgi compartment, thus releasing their cargoes. Protein accumulation in the ER can be caused by a too stringent QC or by ineffective transport: these situations could be deleterious for the organism, due to the loss of the secreted protein, and to the cell itself, because of abnormal increase of protein concentration in the ER. In both cases, diseases can arise. In this review, we will describe the pathophysiology of protein folding and transport between the ER and the Golgi compartment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new study has identified the proteins that adapt COPII vesicles to the needs of starving cells., Competing Interests: CR No competing interests declared, (© 2019, Rabouille.)

The conventional secretory pathway is indispensable for eukaryotic cells. Newly synthesized membrane and secretory proteins are released from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through ER-derived vesicles to their appropriate destination. Vesicle formation is important for steady protein trafficking. O-GlcNAcylation ( O-GlcNAc) is a unique protein glycosylation signature, whose dynamic regulation by O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase occurs exclusively for nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. Because of this locally limited property, the role of O-GlcNAc in the conventional protein secretory pathway is unknown. We report that Sec31A on COPII vesicles, a specific coat-protein complex for anterograde trafficking in the ER-Golgi network, is O-GlcNAcylated on S964, which accelerates COPII vesicle formation through control of its binding affinity to apoptosis-linked gene 2, a calcium-binding protein. Together, O-GlcNAc on Sec31A regulates conventional secretory vesicle trafficking in the ER-Golgi network. These modifications accelerate COPII vesicle formation and accelerated anterograde transport of vesicles within the ER-Golgi networks.-Cho, H. J., Mook-Jung, I. O-GlcNAcylation regulates endoplasmic reticulum exit sites through Sec31A modification in conventional secretory pathway.

Collagens are large secreted trimeric proteins making up most of the animal extracellular matrix. Secretion of collagen has been a focus of interest for cell biologists in recent years because collagen trimers are too large and rigid to fit into the COPII vesicles mediating transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. Collagen-specific mechanisms to create enlarged ER-to-Golgi transport carriers have been postulated, including cargo loading by conserved ER exit site (ERES) protein Tango1. Here, we report an RNAi screening for genes involved in collagen secretion in Drosophila. In this screening, we examined distribution of GFP-tagged Collagen IV in live animals and found 88 gene hits for which the knockdown produced intracellular accumulation of Collagen IV in the fat body, the main source of matrix proteins in the larva. Among these hits, only two affected collagen secretion specifically: PH4αEFB and Plod, encoding enzymes known to mediate posttranslational modification of collagen in the ER. Every other intracellular accumulation hit affected general secretion, consistent with the notion that secretion of collagen does not use a specific mode of vesicular transport, but the general secretory pathway. Included in our hits are many known players in the eukaryotic secretory machinery, like COPII and COPI components, SNAREs and Rab-GTPase regulators. Our further analysis of the involvement of Rab-GTPases in secretion shows that Rab1, Rab2 and RabX3, are all required at ERES, each of them differentially affecting ERES morphology. Abolishing activity of all three by Rep knockdown, in contrast, led to uncoupling of ERES and Golgi. We additionally present a characterization of a screening hit we named trabuco (tbc), encoding an ERES-localized TBC domain-containing Rab-GAP. Finally, we discuss the success of our screening in identifying secretory pathway genes in comparison to two previous secretion screenings in Drosophila S2 cells., (Copyright © 2018 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)-derived COPII coated vesicles constitutively transport secretory cargo to the Golgi. However, during starvation-induced stress, COPII vesicles have been implicated as a membrane source for autophagosomes, distinct organelles that engulf cellular components for degradation by macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy). How cells regulate core trafficking machinery to fulfill dramatically different cellular roles in response to environmental cues is unknown. Here we show that phosphorylation of conserved amino acids on the membrane-distal surface of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae COPII cargo adaptor, Sec24, reprograms COPII vesicles for autophagy. We also show casein kinase 1 (Hrr25) is a key kinase that phosphorylates this regulatory surface. During autophagy, Sec24 phosphorylation regulates autophagosome number and its interaction with the C-terminus of Atg9, a component of the autophagy machinery required for autophagosome initiation. We propose that the acute need to produce autophagosomes during starvation drives the interaction of Sec24 with Atg9 to increase autophagosome abundance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

The ER (endoplasmic reticulum) is the protein folding 'factory' of the secretory pathway. Virtually all proteins destined for the plasma membrane, the extracellular space or other secretory compartments undergo folding and maturation within the ER. The ER hosts a unique PQC (protein quality control) system that allows specialized modifications such as glycosylation and disulfide bond formation essential for the correct folding and function of many secretory proteins. It is also the major checkpoint for misfolded or aggregation-prone proteins that may be toxic to the cell or extracellular environment. A failure of this system, due to aging or other factors, has therefore been implicated in a number of serious human diseases. In this article, we discuss several key features of ER PQC that maintain the health of the cellular secretome., (© 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)