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Exo84p is an exocyst protein essential for secretion
1Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8002, USA.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|August 7, 1999
Summary
Researchers identified Exo84p, an essential protein in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, crucial for polarized secretion. Depletion of Exo84p halts cell survival and disrupts vesicle transport, highlighting its vital role in exocyst complex function.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The exocyst complex is essential for vesicle trafficking and fusion with the plasma membrane.
- Understanding the exocyst's components and their functions is key to deciphering secretory pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize a novel component of the exocyst complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- To elucidate the role of this new component in polarized secretion and exocyst assembly.
Main Methods:
- Co-immunoprecipitation assays to determine protein interactions.
- Velocity gradient sedimentation to analyze complex formation.
- Two-hybrid assays to study subunit interactions.
- Microscopy to assess protein localization and cellular phenotypes.
Main Results:
- Identification and characterization of Exo84p as a new exocyst subunit.
- Exo84p is essential for cell viability and invertase secretion.
- Exo84p co-immunoprecipitates and co-sediments with exocyst components.
- Exo84p assembly requires Sec5p and Sec10p and interacts with them.
- Exo84p localizes to sites of polarized secretion and is mislocalized in sec5 mutants.
Conclusions:
- Exo84p is an essential component of the exocyst complex in yeast.
- Exo84p plays a critical role in polarized secretion by mediating vesicle targeting and docking.
- Exo84p's function is integrated with other exocyst subunits, particularly Sec5p and Sec10p.