PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Peter Novick

Publications and source records attributed to Peter Novick.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ptc1p regulates cortical ER inheritance via Slt2p.

Studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have shown that the inheritance of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, and vacuoles involves the capture of a tubular structure at the bud tip. Ptc1p, a serine/threonine phosphatase, has previously been shown to regulate mitochondrial inheritance by an unknown mechanism. Ptc1p regulates the high osmolarity glycerol mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and has also been implicated in the cell wall integrity (CWI) MAPK pathway. Here we show that the loss of Ptc1p or the Ptc1p binding protein, Nbp2p, causes a prominent delay in the delivery of ER tubules to the periphery of daughter cells and results in a dramatic increase in the level of phosphorylated Slt2p, the MAPK in the CWI pathway. Either loss of Slt2p or inhibition of the CWI pathway by addition of sorbitol, suppresses the ER inheritance defect in the ptc1Delta and nbp2Delta mutants. Our findings indicate that Ptc1p and Nbp2p regulate ER inheritance through the CWI MAPK pathway by modulating the MAPK, Slt2p.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Rabs and their effectors: achieving specificity in membrane traffic.

Rab proteins constitute the largest branch of the Ras GTPase superfamily. Rabs use the guanine nucleotide-dependent switch mechanism common to the superfamily to regulate each of the four major steps in membrane traffic: vesicle budding, vesicle delivery, vesicle tethering, and fusion of the vesicle membrane with that of the target compartment. These different tasks are carried out by a diverse collection of effector molecules that bind to specific Rabs in their GTP-bound state. Recent advances have not only greatly extended the number of known Rab effectors, but have also begun to define the mechanisms underlying their distinct functions. By binding to the guanine nucleotide exchange proteins that activate the Rabs certain effectors act to establish positive feedback loops that help to define and maintain tightly localized domains of activated Rab proteins, which then serve to recruit other effector molecules. Additionally, Rab cascades and Rab conversions appear to confer directionality to membrane traffic and couple each stage of traffic with the next along the pathway.

Biological Transport↗

Rtn1p is involved in structuring the cortical endoplasmic reticulum.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contains both cisternal and reticular elements in one contiguous structure. We identified rtn1Delta in a systematic screen for yeast mutants with altered ER morphology. The ER in rtn1Delta cells is predominantly cisternal rather than reticular, yet the net surface area of ER is not significantly changed. Rtn1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) associates with the reticular ER at the cell cortex and with the tubules that connect the cortical ER to the nuclear envelope, but not with the nuclear envelope itself. Rtn1p overexpression also results in an altered ER structure. Rtn proteins are found on the ER in a wide range of eukaryotes and are defined by two membrane-spanning domains flanking a conserved hydrophilic loop. Our results suggest that Rtn proteins may direct the formation of reticulated ER. We independently identified Rtn1p in a proteomic screen for proteins associated with the exocyst vesicle tethering complex. The conserved hydophilic loop of Rtn1p binds to the exocyst subunit Sec6p. Overexpression of this loop results in a modest accumulation of secretory vesicles, suggesting impaired exocyst function. The interaction of Rtn1p with the exocyst at the bud tip may trigger the formation of a cortical ER network in yeast buds.

Endoplasmic Reticulum↗

The rab exchange factor Sec2p reversibly associates with the exocyst.

Activation of the rab GTPase, Sec4p, by its exchange factor, Sec2p, is needed for polarized transport of secretory vesicles to exocytic sites and for exocytosis. A small region in the C-terminal half of Sec2p regulates its localization. Loss of this region results in temperature-sensitive growth and the depolarized accumulation of secretory vesicles. Here, we show that Sec2p associates with the exocyst, an octameric effector of Sec4p involved in tethering secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. Specifically, the exocyst subunit Sec15p directly interacts with Sec2p. This interaction normally occurs on secretory vesicles and serves to couple nucleotide exchange on Sec4p to the recruitment of the Sec4p effector. The mislocalization of Sec2p mutants correlates with dramatically enhanced binding to the exocyst complex. We propose that Sec2p is normally released from the exocyst after vesicle tethering so that it can recycle onto a new round of vesicles. The mislocalization of Sec2p mutants results from a failure to be released from Sec15p, blocking this recycling pathway.

Binding Sites↗

The yeast lgl family member Sro7p is an effector of the secretory Rab GTPase Sec4p.

Rab guanosine triphosphatases regulate intracellular membrane traffic by binding specific effector proteins. The yeast Rab Sec4p plays multiple roles in the polarized transport of post-Golgi vesicles to, and their subsequent fusion with, the plasma membrane, suggesting the involvement of several effectors. Yet, only one Sec4p effector has been documented to date: the exocyst protein Sec15p. The exocyst is an octameric protein complex required for tethering secretory vesicles, which is a prerequisite for membrane fusion. In this study, we describe the identification of a second Sec4p effector, Sro7p, which is a member of the lethal giant larvae tumor suppressor family. Sec4-GTP binds to Sro7p in cell extracts as well as to purified Sro7p, and the two proteins can be coimmunoprecipitated. Furthermore, we demonstrate the formation of a ternary complex of Sec4-GTP, Sro7p, and the t-SNARE Sec9p. Genetic data support our conclusion that Sro7p functions downstream of Sec4p and further imply that Sro7p and the exocyst share partially overlapping functions, possibly in SNARE regulation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

The exocyst defrocked, a framework of rods revealed.

The exocyst complex is required for the interaction of vesicles with the plasma membrane in preparation for exocytic fusion. Recent crystallographic studies indicate that at least four of the eight subunits contain long, rod-like domains formed from helical bundles. These rods may pack against one another to generate the framework of the complex. How this complex assembles, how it responds to various GTPases and how it is ultimately displaced to allow bilayer fusion are key questions for the future.

Animals↗

The structures of exocyst subunit Exo70p and the Exo84p C-terminal domains reveal a common motif.

The exocyst is a large complex that is required for tethering vesicles at the final stages of the exocytic pathway in all eukaryotes. Here we present the structures of the Exo70p subunit of this complex and of the C-terminal domains of Exo84p, at 2.0-A and 2.85-A resolution, respectively. Exo70p forms a 160-A-long rod with a novel fold composed of contiguous alpha-helical bundles. The Exo84p C terminus also forms a long rod (80 A), which unexpectedly has the same fold as the Exo70p N terminus. Our structural results and our experimental observations concerning the interaction between Exo70p and other exocyst subunits or Rho3p GTPase are consistent with an architecture wherein exocyst subunits are composed of mostly helical modules strung together into long rods.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

The organization, structure, and inheritance of the ER in higher and lower eukaryotes.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a fundamental organelle required for protein assembly, lipid biosynthesis, and vesicular traffic, as well as calcium storage and the controlled release of calcium from the ER lumen into the cytosol. Membranes functionally linked to the ER by vesicle-mediated transport, such as the Golgi complex, endosomes, vacuoles-lysosomes, secretory vesicles, and the plasma membrane, originate largely from proteins and lipids synthesized in the ER. In this review we will discuss the structural organization of the ER and its inheritance.

Animals↗

Ice2p is important for the distribution and structure of the cortical ER network in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is found along the cell periphery (cortical ER) and nucleus (perinuclear ER). In this study, we characterize a novel ER protein called Ice2p that localizes to the cortical and perinuclear ER. Ice2p is predicted to be a type-III transmembrane protein. Cells carrying a genomic disruption of ICE2 display defects in the distribution of cortical ER in mother and daughter cells. Furthermore, fluorescence imaging of ice2delta cells reveals an abnormal cortical ER tubular network morphology in both the mother cell and the developing bud. Subcellular fractionation analysis using sucrose gradients corroborate the data from the fluorescence studies. Our findings indicate that Ice2p plays a role in forming and/or maintaining the cortical ER network in budding yeast.

Endoplasmic Reticulum↗

Functional specialization within a vesicle tethering complex: bypass of a subset of exocyst deletion mutants by Sec1p or Sec4p.

The exocyst is an octameric protein complex required to tether secretory vesicles to exocytic sites and to retain ER tubules at the apical tip of budded cells. Unlike the other five exocyst genes, SEC3, SEC5, and EXO70 are not essential for growth or secretion when either the upstream activator rab, Sec4p, or the downstream SNARE-binding component, Sec1p, are overproduced. Analysis of the suppressed sec3Delta, sec5Delta, and exo70Delta strains demonstrates that the corresponding proteins confer differential effects on vesicle targeting and ER inheritance. Sec3p and Sec5p are more critical than Exo70p for ER inheritance. Although nonessential under these conditions, Sec3p, Sec5p, and Exo70p are still important for tethering, as in their absence the exocyst is only partially assembled. Sec1p overproduction results in increased SNARE complex levels, indicating a role in assembly or stabilization of SNARE complexes. Furthermore, a fraction of Sec1p can be coprecipitated with the exoycst. Our results suggest that Sec1p couples exocyst-mediated vesicle tethering with SNARE-mediated docking and fusion.

Cell Division↗

Vesicles carry most exocyst subunits to exocytic sites marked by the remaining two subunits, Sec3p and Exo70p.

Exocytosis in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae occurs at discrete domains of the plasma membrane. The protein complex that tethers incoming vesicles to sites of secretion is known as the exocyst. We have used photobleaching recovery experiments to characterize the dynamic behavior of the eight subunits that make up the exocyst. One subset (Sec5p, Sec6p, Sec8p, Sec10p, Sec15p, and Exo84p) exhibits mobility similar to that of the vesicle-bound Rab family protein Sec4p, whereas Sec3p and Exo70p exhibit substantially more stability. Disruption of actin assembly abolishes the ability of the first subset of subunits to recover after photobleaching, whereas Sec3p and Exo70p are resistant. Immunogold electron microscopy and epifluorescence video microscopy indicate that all exocyst subunits, except for Sec3p, are associated with secretory vesicles as they arrive at exocytic sites. Assembly of the exocyst occurs when the first subset of subunits, delivered on vesicles, joins Sec3p and Exo70p on the plasma membrane. Exocyst assembly serves to both target and tether vesicles to sites of exocytosis.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Dynamics and inheritance of the endoplasmic reticulum.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) consists of a polygonal array of interconnected tubules and sheets that spreads throughout the eukaryotic cell and is contiguous with the nuclear envelope. This elaborate structure is created and maintained by a constant remodeling process that involves the formation of new tubules, their cytoskeletal transport and homotypic fusion. Since the ER is a large, single-copy organelle, it must be actively segregated into daughter cells during cell division. Recent analysis in budding yeast indicates that ER inheritance involves the polarized transport of cytoplasmic ER tubules into newly formed buds along actin cables by a type V myosin. The tubules then become anchored to a site at the bud tip and this requires the Sec3p subunit of the exocyst complex. The ER is then propagated along the cortex of the bud to yield a cortical ER structure similar to that of the mother cell. In animal cells, the ER moves predominantly along microtubules, whereas actin fibers serve a complementary role. It is not yet clear to what extent the other components controlling ER distribution in yeast might be conserved in animal cells.

Actins↗

The exocyst meets the translocon: a regulatory circuit for secretion and protein synthesis?

The translocon is responsible for the translocation of proteins across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum into its lumen, whereas the exocyst acts at the other end of the secretory pathway, tethering secretory vesicles to the sites of exocytosis. Here, we discuss three independent lines of evidence that indicate surprising genetic, physical and functional interactions between the two complexes. Although much of the existing evidence is rather preliminary in nature, these interactions might serve to coordinate the biosynthetic capacity of the cell with the function of the secretory machinery.

Cell Membrane↗

Myo4p and She3p are required for cortical ER inheritance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Myo4p is a nonessential type V myosin required for the bud tip localization of ASH1 and IST2 mRNA. These mRNAs associate with Myo4p via the She2p and She3p proteins. She3p is an adaptor protein that links Myo4p to its cargo. She2p binds to ASH1 and IST2 mRNA, while She3p binds to both She2p and Myo4p. Here we show that Myo4p and She3p, but not She2p, are required for the inheritance of cortical ER in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Consistent with this observation, we find that cortical ER inheritance is independent of mRNA transport. Cortical ER is a dynamic network that forms cytoplasmic tubular connections to the nuclear envelope. ER tubules failed to grow when actin polymerization was blocked with the drug latrunculin A (Lat-A). Additionally, a reduction in the number of cytoplasmic ER tubules was observed in Lat-A-treated and myo4Delta cells. Our results suggest that Myo4p and She3p facilitate the growth and orientation of ER tubules.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Sec3p is needed for the spatial regulation of secretion and for the inheritance of the cortical endoplasmic reticulum.

Sec3p is a component of the exocyst complex that tethers secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane at exocytic sites in preparation for fusion. Unlike all other exocyst structural genes, SEC3 is not essential for growth. Cells lacking Sec3p grow and secrete surprisingly well at 25 degrees C; however, late markers of secretion, such as the vesicle marker Sec4p and the exocyst subunit Sec8p, localize more diffusely within the bud. Furthermore, sec3Delta cells are strikingly round relative to wild-type cells and are unable to form pointed mating projections in response to alpha factor. These phenotypes support the proposed role of Sec3p as a spatial landmark for secretion. We also find that cells lacking Sec3p exhibit a dramatic defect in the inheritance of cortical ER into the bud, whereas the inheritance of mitochondria and Golgi is unaffected. Overexpression of Sec3p results in a prominent patch of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker Sec61p-GFP at the bud tip. Cortical ER inheritance in yeast has been suggested to involve the capture of ER tubules at the bud tip. Sec3p may act in this process as a spatial landmark for cortical ER inheritance.

Carrier Proteins↗

Ypt32 recruits the Sec4p guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Sec2p, to secretory vesicles; evidence for a Rab cascade in yeast.

SEC2 is an essential gene required for polarized growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It encodes a protein of 759 amino acids that functions as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small GTPase Sec4p, a regulator of Golgi to plasma membrane transport. Activation of Sec4p by Sec2p is needed for polarized transport of vesicles to exocytic sites. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations in sec2 and sec4 result in a tight block in secretion and the accumulation of secretory vesicles randomly distributed in the cell. The proper localization of Sec2p to secretory vesicles is essential for its function and is largely independent of Sec4p. Although the ts mutation sec2-78 does not affect nucleotide exchange activity, the protein is mislocalized. Here we present evidence that Ypt31/32p, members of Rab family of GTPases, regulate Sec2p function. First, YPT31/YPT32 suppress the sec2-78 mutation. Second, overexpression of Ypt31/32p restores localization of Sec2-78p. Third, Ypt32p and Sec2p interact biochemically, but Sec2p has no exchange activity on Ypt32p. We propose that Ypt32p and Sec4p act as part of a signaling cascade in which Ypt32p recruits Sec2p to secretory vesicles; once on the vesicle, Sec2p activates Sec4p, enabling the polarized transport of vesicles to the plasma membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗