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COPI is a key mediator of protein trafficking within the secretory pathway. COPI is recruited to the membrane primarily through binding to Arf GTPases, upon which it undergoes assembly to form coated transport intermediates responsible for trafficking numerous proteins, including Golgi-resident enzymes. Here, we identify GORAB, the protein mutated in the skin and bone disorder gerodermia osteodysplastica, as a component of the COPI machinery. GORAB forms stable domains at the trans-Golgi that, via interactions with the COPI-binding protein Scyl1, promote COPI recruitment to these domains. Pathogenic GORAB mutations perturb Scyl1 binding or GORAB assembly into domains, indicating the importance of these interactions. Loss of GORAB causes impairment of COPI-mediated retrieval of trans-Golgi enzymes, resulting in a deficit in glycosylation of secretory cargo proteins. Our results therefore identify GORAB as a COPI scaffolding factor, and support the view that defective protein glycosylation is a major disease mechanism in gerodermia osteodysplastica. 10

Each intracellular organelle critically depends on maintaining its specific lipid composition that in turn contributes to the biophysical properties of the membrane. With our knowledge increasing about the organization of membranes with defined microdomains of different lipid compositions, questions arise as to the molecular mechanisms that underly targeting to/segregation from microdomains of a given protein. In addition to specific lipid-transmembrane segment interactions as a basis for partitioning, presence in a given microdomain may alter the conformation of proteins, and, thus, the activity and availability for regulatory modifications. However, for most proteins the specific lipid environment of transmembrane segments as well as its relevance to protein function and overall membrane organization is largely unknown. In order to help filling this gap, we have synthezised a novel photoactive sphingolipid precursor that, together with a precursor for phosphoglycerolipids and with photo-cholesterol, was investigated in vivo with regard to specific protein transmembrane span-lipid interactions. As proof of principle we show specific labeling of the ceramide transporter with the sphingolipid probe, and describe specific in vivo interactions of lipids with caveolin-1, PI-TPß, and the mature form of nicastrin. This novel photolabile sphingolipid probe allows detection of protein-sphingolipid interactions within the membrane bilayer of living cells.

In kidney MDCK and intestinal Caco-2 epithelial cells, glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and sphingomyelin (SPH) synthesized from the short-chain sphingolipid analogue N-6-[7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl]aminodecanoyl (C6-NBD)-ceramide are delivered to the cell surface with apical/basolateral polarities of 2-4 and 0.6-0.9 respectively. We have tested how variations in the lipid backbone affect these polarities. First, the C6-NBD moiety was replaced by a bare [14C]octanoyl chain or by the even more bulky fluorophores 8-bimanoylthio-octanoyl (C8-bimane) and 8-diethylaminocoumarin-octanoyl (C8-DECA). In addition, the sphingosine in C6-NBD-ceramide was changed in stereoconfiguration (L-threo) or saturation (dihydro). In all cases, GlcCer and SPH were produced and appeared on the cell surface at 37°C, as assayed by back-exchange. The apical/basolateral polarity of the delivery of GlcCer was variable, but always exceeded 1. GlcCer was apically enriched over SPH (2-6 times for MDCK and 3-9 times for Caco-2). Even GlcCer synthesized from a highly water-soluble truncated ceramide (octanoyl-D-erythro-sphingosine analogue with C8 backbone) was enriched apically by a factor of ≥ 2 both in absolute polarity and compared with SPH. Sphingolipid sorting was quantitatively but not qualitatively affected by dramatic changes in the lipid backbone.