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Updated: Jan 1, 2026

The Microscopy-Based Assay to Study and Analyze the Recycling Endosomes using SNARE Trafficking
Published on: February 12, 2022
Endosomal recycling regulates Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1/Tumor Endothelial Marker 8-dependent cell spreading
Jingsheng Gu1, Victor Faundez, Erica Werner
1Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Abstract:
Mechanisms for receptor-mediated anthrax toxin internalization and delivery to the cytosol are well understood. However, far less is known about the fate followed by anthrax toxin receptors prior and after cell exposure to the toxin. We report that Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1/Tumor Endothelial Marker 8 (TEM8) localized at steady state in Rab11a-positive and transferrin receptor-containing recycling endosomes. TEM8 followed a slow constitutive recycling route of approximately 30min as determined by pulsed surface biotinylation and chase experiments. A Rab11a dominant negative mutant and Myosin Vb tail expression impaired TEM8 recycling by sequestering TEM8 in intracellular compartments. Sequestration of TEM8 in intracellular compartments with monensin coincided with increased TEM8 association with a multi-protein complex isolated with antibodies against transferrin receptor. Addition of the cell-binding component of anthrax toxin, Protective Antigen, reduced TEM8 half-life from 7 to 3 hours, without preventing receptor recycling. Pharmacological and molecular perturbation of recycling endosome function using monensin, dominant negative Rab11a, or myosin Vb tail, reduced PA binding efficiency and TEM8-dependent cell spreading on PA-coated surfaces without affecting toxin delivery to the cytosol. These results indicate that the intracellular fate of TEM8 differentially affect its cell adhesion and cell intoxication functions.
Insights
Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1 (TEM8) recycles slowly in endosomes. Disrupting this recycling impairs toxin binding and cell spreading but not toxin entry into cells.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Receptor-mediated endocytosis of anthrax toxin is understood, but the receptor's fate is not.
- Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1 (TEM8) is crucial for toxin entry.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the intracellular trafficking and fate of TEM8.
- Determine how TEM8's intracellular fate influences its function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized pulsed surface biotinylation and chase experiments to track TEM8.
- Employed dominant-negative mutants (Rab11a, Myosin Vb) and pharmacological agents (monensin) to perturb recycling.
- Assessed Protective Antigen (PA) binding, cell spreading, and toxin delivery.
Main Results:
- TEM8 resides in recycling endosomes and follows a slow recycling pathway (~30 min).
- Rab11a and Myosin Vb impair TEM8 recycling, sequestering it intracellularly.
- Protective Antigen (PA) reduces TEM8 half-life but doesn't halt recycling.
- Perturbing recycling reduces PA binding and cell spreading, but not cytosolic toxin delivery.
Conclusions:
- The intracellular trafficking of TEM8 is distinct from its role in toxin delivery.
- TEM8's recycling pathway differentially regulates its cell adhesion and intoxication functions.
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