Vesicle transport Flashcards
Vesicle
A membrane bilayer enclosed compartment with a hydrophilic interior. It is used to transport soluble proteins into, out of, and within the cell. Vesicles facilitate the cross of membranes via fusion. They also transport hydrophobic proteins to membranes via fusion. These hydrophobic proteins are stuck in the membrane of the vesicle
Cargo
The contents of vesicles
Vesicles vs micelles
Micelles are relevant to detergents and have a completely hydrophobic interior- they are not bilayer enclosed. On the other hand, vesicles are bilayer enclosed. They have a hydrophilic center and a hydrophobic region
Vesicle transport- budding and fusion
If cargo is being transported from the ER to another organelle, the vesicle would bud off of the ER membrane. The interior of the vesicle would contain hydrophilic cargo while hydrophobic cargo would be embedded in the vesicle membrane. The vesicle would travel through the cytoplasm and fuse with a target membrane, like the Golgi apparatus membrane. Once the vesicle fuses, it releases hydrophilic and hydrophobic proteins into the organelle
Exocytosis
Important for secreting protein cargo out of the cell. The vesicle membrane fuses with the cell membrane, and then the cargo can be released out of the cell. Also important for delivering proteins and lipids to the membrane to promote cellular expansion. Each time endocytosis occurs, lipids are lost from the membrane. Therefore, exocytosis must also occur to balance endocytosis and maintain the cell membrane
Biosynthetic-secretory pathway
Vesicles that bud from the ER and travel to a membrane. The vesicle buds off and fuses with the Golgi membrane. The contents go through the Golgi and another vesicle buds off the Golgi and travels to its final destination. Their final destination is usually endosomes or lysosomes, as well as the cell membrane for exocytosis. Vesicles generally deliver digestive enzymes to the endosome. If the vesicle fuses with the cell membrane, it’s contents will be secreted out of the cell
Endocytic pathway
Brings cargo from outside the cell at the membrane surface, usually bringing them over to the endosomes and lysosomes, fusing with these organelles. The vesicle takes in contents from outside the cell and pinches off the cell membrane. It fuses with the endosome, delivering the endocytosed material
Retrieval pathways
Bring membrane lipids and proteins back to their compartment of origin. Contents are returned to the Golgi apparatus or to the ER. This helps to “recycle” some components that were lost during the biosynthetic-secretory pathway
Endosomes and lysosomes function
They have enzymes that can break down endocytosed material
How do vesicles form?
They form from specialized, coated regions of the cell membrane, and they bud off as coated vesicles
Coated vesicles
The “coat” is a distinctive cage of structural proteins that surrounds the vesicle itself. The coat is extremely important to the formation of vesicles. Once the vesicle has formed and budded off a membrane, the coat is shed- the coat must be shed for the vesicle to fuse with other membranes
Functions of vesicle coats (2)
- The coat physically molds the forming and vesicle and it allows the vesicle to form
- Recruits or concentrates membrane proteins in a specialized patch. Some of the proteins are cargo receptors, which help to recruit soluble cargo proteins to the vesicle
3 types of coated vesicles
- Clathrin coated
- COP1 coated
- COP2 coated
How are the types of coated vesicles distinguished?
They are distinguished by the proteins that make up the coat. There are several types of each coated vesicle, and each one is specialized for different transport steps in different places of the cell. Some are specialized in forming vesicles at the ER, others are specialized in forming vesicles at the cell membrane. They incorporate different coat protein subunits that modify their properties
Clathrin coated vesicles
Major protein is clathrin. They mediate transport between the Golgi, lysosomes, endosomes, and cell membrane. The vesicle generally originates at the cell membrane and travels to one of the other organelles. This is important for the endocytic pathway
COP1 coated vesicles
Mediate transport from the Golgi cisternae (Golgi subunits) to the ER. This is important in the retrieval pathway. It helps to mediate transport between the different subunits of the Golgi. It can also mediate transport between the Golgi and the cell membrane
COP2 coated vesicles
Mediate transport from the ER to the Golgi cisternae. This is important for the biosynthetic-secretory pathway
Where do clathrin coated vesicles form?
They usually form at the cell membrane and usually fuse with the endosome or the Golgi compartments
Where do COP1 coated vesicles form? (2)
- Form in the Golgi and deliver things to the ER in the retrieval pathway
- Form in the Golgi and deliver things to the cell membrane in the second phase of the biosynthetic-secretory pathway
Where do COP2 coated vesicles form?
- Form in the ER and fuse with the Golgi in the first phase of the biosynthetic-secretory pathway
Clathrin structure
Contains subunits that are comprised of 3 large and 3 small polypeptide chains (heavy and light chains). It forms a triskelion (a 3 legged structure). The N terminals of the triskelions extend into the cage, forming contacts with adaptor proteins. The clathrin triskelions are the major structural proteins of the coat.
Clathrin coated pits
Clathrin assembles into a basketlike, convex framework of hexagons and pentagons to form coated pits on the cytosolic surface of membranes. The framework allows for the physical molding of that vesicle. A clathrin coated pit is when the vesicle is being molded and the clathrin is starting to assemble
Adaptor proteins
These proteins form a separate, second layer of the coat between the clathrin cage and the vesicle membrane. They physically bind the clathrin coat to the membrane and trap cargo receptors. Adaptor proteins recruit cargo receptors and therefore cargo to the forming vesicle. The receptors and cargo compartmentalize into membrane regions that form the vesicle
Cargo receptors
Transmembrane receptors that capture soluble cargo molecules in the vesicle. Once cargo receptors are recruited, they recruit and bind to soluble cargo proteins
Formation of clathrin coated vesicles (6 steps)
- Clathrin/adaptor protein complexes bind to cargo receptors, clustering them (selective recruitment)
- Cargo receptors bind to cargo molecules, recruiting the necessary cargo for the vesicle
- Sequential assembly of adaptor complexes and clathrin coat generates forces/curvature that result in vesicle formation by physically molding the vesicle
- The vesicle buds
- The clathrin coat is shed shortly after release and the components are reused in vesicle formation
- The vesicle can travel and fuse with a target membrane
Formation of COP1 and COP2 coated vesicles
COP1 and COP2 coats form similarly to clathrin. They form a basket-like lattice that induces membrane curvature. However, not all vesicle coats are like this
Retromer coat
A vesicle coat that only assembles on vesicles budding from endosomes, which function in returning transmembrane cargo proteins. Usually, these cargo proteins are acid hydrolase receptors that are being returned to the Golgi. The coat is different looking than clathrin, as clathrin coats are composed of many different clathrin molecules. Retromer coats form a dimer rather than a lattice
3 criteria for the formation of a retromer coat on endosomes
- It can bind cytoplasmic tails of cargo receptors
- It can interact directly with the curved membrane (endosome)
- It can bind phosphoinositides, a specialized type of membrane lipid which acts as an endosomal marker
All 3 criteria must be met for this coated vesicle to form
Coincidence detector
The retromer coat only assembles at the right time and place
Important domains of the retromer coat
The retromer coat is a multiprotein coat, where the proteins form dimers. The VPS35 domain binds the cytoplasmic tail of the cargo receptor. The PX domain binds to phosphoinositide. The BAR domain mediates dimerization and attachment to already curved membranes (like the endosome membrane).
Phosphoinositides (PIP)
Phosphorylated form of phosphatidylinositol (PI), which is a specialized membrane lipid. The head group of the lipid is a sugar ring. They can be phosphorylated on 3’, 4’, & 5’ carbon positions on the inositol sugar in different combinations. Depending on how they are phosphorylated, PIPs will be able to bind to different proteins (like cargo or adaptor proteins, and the vesicle coat proteins)
What determines the set of PIPs in each organelle?
Different organelles in the endocytic and biosynthetic-secretory pathways have distinct sets of PI and PIP kinases and phosphatases. Distribution of PIPs varies from organelle to organelle & membrane region to membrane region and the phosphorylation pattern varies. Results in compartmentalization, act as markers
Naming of PIPs
(PI(phosphorylation positions)P2)
The phosphorylation positions can be carbons 3, 4, and/or 5 on the sugar. P2 means that there are 2 phosphates, but there can be different numbers of phosphates as well
PIP binding proteins
Depending on how they are phosphorylated, PIPs will be able to bind to different proteins (like cargo or adaptor proteins, and the vesicle coat proteins). Each PIP is recognized by a specific PIP-binding protein. PIP binding proteins recognize specific regions of the membrane (on the organelle or cell surface). PIPs help to regulate vesicle formation since they come into contact with cargo receptors and adaptor proteins
How do PIPs help with vesicle formation?
- Cargo receptors bind to soluble cargo
- An adaptor protein can bind to PIP, which would allow the protein to undergo a conformational change
- The conformational change allows the adaptor protein to bind to a cargo receptor, which in turn is bound to cargo
- Then, the other parts of the vesicle coat are recruited
- Ultimately, PIPs interacting with adaptor proteins helps with vesicle coat formation
Coat-recruitment GTPases
Help to control vesicle assembly in addition to PIPs. Some are monomeric and some are trimeric, but all need to hydrolyze GTP to function. They are found in high concentrations in the cytosol in GDP bound form
Monomeric GTPases
Monomeric GTP-binding proteins. These are the most prevalent GTPases. 2 examples are Arf proteins and Sar1 proteins
Trimeric GTPases
Trimeric GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) contribute to vesicle assembly too but are less well understood
Arf proteins
GTPases, important for COP1 coat assembly and clathrin coat assembly at Golgi membranes
Sar1 proteins
GTPases, important for COP2 coat assembly at the ER membrane
Sar1 protein mechanism
There are specific Sar1 Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) in the ER membrane, which bind cytosolic Sar 1 (GDP-GTP) and give it GTP. When given GTP, the Sar1-GTP molecule undergoes a conformational change where it exposes an amphipathic helix (which has hydrophobic qualities). The hydrophobic effect takes over, so Sar1 is stuck in the closest membrane, which is the ER membrane in this case. Sar1-GTP inserts into the cytoplasmic leaflet of the ER membrane. The tightly bound GTP-Sar1 recruits COP2 coat protein subunits to the ER membrane to initiate coat formation and vesicle budding. Other GEFs & coat-recruitment GTPases operate similarly in other membranes/ compartments. This, along w/ phosphoinositide binding and binding to cytoplasmic tails of receptors induces coat assembly
Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs)
Help to charge Sar1 proteins with GTP
Sar1-driven COP2 assembly (7)
- Sar1 GEF exchanges GDP for GTP on Sar1, causing a conformational change and exposing the hydrophobic portion
- Due to hydrophobic effect, the hydrophobic portion of GTP-Sar1 inserts into the ER membrane
- GTP bound Sar1 recruits Sec23 (which binds it) and Sec24, which binds the cytoplasmic tail of the cargo receptor. These proteins also recruit cargo receptors and soluble cargo
- GTP-Sar1 and adaptor proteins recruit the structural COP2 proteins Sec13/31
- Once the coat begins to assemble, it begins to physically mold the vesicle
- The vesicle buds
- The COP1 coat is lost
2 adaptor proteins for COP2 assembly
Sec23 and Sec24
2 COP2 proteins making up the COP2 coat
Sec13 and Sec31. The proteins form a basket-like lattice
Arf protein mechanism
Arf works similarly to Sar1. When GTP is bound, it has an exposed hydrophobic portion. In contrast to Sar1, Arf has 2 hydrophobic portions- it has a covalently attached fatty acid that adds to the hydrophobicity
What mediates uncoating of vesicles?
Coat-recruitment GTPases mediate uncoating as well. GTP hydrolysis causes a conformational change that buries the hydrophobic portion of the Arf or Sar1 protein into the protein. Once GTPase is popped out, the coat disassembles
Vesicle pinching
When the vesicle is budding off and beginning to be fully formed. Dynamin assists with this process. Vesicle pinching fuses the outer leaflets of the membrane, releasing the vesicle.
Dynamin and other recruited proteins help bend a patch of membrane and directly distort the bilayer by changing lipid composition via lipid-modifying enzymes
Dynamin
A specialized protein that helps vesicle pinching to occur- it assembles as a ring around the neck of the vesicle bud. This forces the fusion of the bilayer of the membrane and causes the vesicle to bud off. Once the vesicle buds off, GTPase is removed and the vesicle coat disassembles. Dynamin has a PI(4,5)P2 binding domain, which tethers the protein to the membrane. Dynamin also has a GTPase domain which allows it to hydrolyze GTP and regulates the rate of vesicle pinching
Dynamin mechanism (3)
- The GTPase of dynamin is able to hydrolyze GTP
- GTP hydrolysis creates a conformational change of dynamin, making it wrap itself around the neck of the vesicle and squeeze the membranes together
- Ultimately, this squeezing causes the vesicle to bud off
Vesicle uncoating
Uncoating occurs due to PIP phosphatase activity & coat recruitment GTPases. Hydrolysis of GTP causes the hydrophobic portions of Sar1 and Arf proteins to be buried. With PIP, the lipids lose their phosphates, which releases the hold of PI on the vesicle coat
Vesicle uncoating of clathrin coated vesicles
A PI(4,5)P2 phosphatase is co-packaged into clathrin-coated vesicles, as it is necessary to dephosphorylate PI- this allows for coat disassembly. It depletes PI(4,5)P2, weakening binding of adaptor proteins. Chaperone proteins like Hsp70 functions as an uncoating ATPase. They use ATP hydrolysis to physically peel off the clathrin coat. Auxillin (vesicle coat protein) activates ATPase
Vesicle targeting
Vesicles must be targeted to a specific membrane when they leave their site of origin. Targeting must be specific since a vesicle will encounter many membranes. The correct target membrane must be found for proper fusion. Rab proteins (monomeric GTPases) are important to targeting specificity
Rab proteins
Monomeric GTPases that are important to the specificity of targeting. There are over 60 members of the protein family. Each Rab protein is associated with 1 or more membrane-enclosed organelles of the biosynthetic-secretory & endocytic pathways. Different Rab proteins are found in different membrane locations, and they are associated with vesicles that bud from certain organelles. They act as markers for the target membranes the vesicles will be fusing to. Companion Rab proteins are also present on the vesicle membranes, so interactions with the Rab proteins on both sides ultimately creates the specificity of targeting
Rab protein mechanism
- Since they are GTPases, Rab proteins undergo a conformational change once they are bound to GTP, which exposes a hydrophobic portion of the protein (the hydrophobic lipid anchor). Rab-GDP is soluble in cytosol
- Once the hydrophobic lipid anchor is exposed, the protein can insert into vesicles and target membranes
- Membrane-bound Rab-GTP interacts w/ Rab effectors, which facilitate vesicle transport, membrane tethering, & assist in fusion
Rab effectors
Rab effectors and Rab proteins interact with each other on both sides- the vesicle and the target membrane. Their structures vary greatly, and they can have one of 3 different functions based on their structures. Some are motor proteins, some are tethering proteins, and some interact with SNAREs