Related Experiment Videos

CD2AP/CMS regulates endosome morphology and traffic to the degradative pathway through its interaction with Rab4 and

Mireille Cormont1, Isidoro Metón, Muriel Mari

  • 1Inserm U568, IFR 50, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nice, 06107 Nice cedex 02, France. cormont@unice.fr

Insights

The study identifies CD2-associated protein (CD2AP/CMS) as a novel effector of Rab4, a small GTPase crucial for vesicular trafficking. This interaction influences early endosome morphology and the degradation pathway.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocytosis and Vesicular Trafficking

Background:

  • The small GTPase Rab4 regulates early endosome sorting and recycling.
  • Understanding Rab4's effectors is key to deciphering vesicular trafficking regulation.
  • Early endosomes are critical for internalizing and processing cellular cargo.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify specific effectors interacting with the GTP-bound form of Rab4 (Rab4-Q67L).
  • To elucidate the role of identified effectors in regulating Rab4-mediated vesicular trafficking.
  • To investigate the impact of Rab4-effector interactions on early endosome function and morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Yeast two-hybrid screening to identify Rab4-Q67L interacting proteins.
  • In vitro interaction assays and mammalian cell expression studies.
  • Confocal microscopy for colocalization studies with endosomal markers (EEA1, Rab5, Rab7, Rab11) and actin filaments.
  • Analysis of endosome morphology and function using truncated protein constructs.

Main Results:

  • Identified and cloned CD2-associated protein/Cas ligand with multiple SH3 domains (CD2AP/CMS) as a Rab4-Q67L interacting protein.
  • CD2AP/CMS localizes to punctate structures and actin filaments in mammalian cells.
  • Coexpression of Rab4-Q67L and CD2AP/CMS leads to enlarged EEA1-positive early endosomes, with Rab4, CD2AP/CMS, and Rab7 colocalizing.
  • Early endosome enlargement requires CD2AP/CMS interaction with both Rab4 and c-Cbl.
  • A CD2AP/CMS mutant interacting with Rab4 but not c-Cbl inhibits PDGF receptor degradation.

Conclusions:

  • CD2AP/CMS acts as an effector for Rab4, influencing early endosome morphology.
  • The interaction of CD2AP/CMS with Rab4 and c-Cbl is crucial for regulating early endosome size.
  • CD2AP/CMS plays a role in the traffic between early and late endosomes, impacting the degradative pathway and receptor trafficking.

Related Concept Videos