Purification of infection-associated macropinosomes by magnetic isolation for proteomic characterization

Virginie Stévenin1,2,3, Quentin Giai Gianetto4,5, Magalie Duchateau4

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions Unit and CNRS UMR 3691, Paris, France. virginie.stevenin@ens-cachan.fr.

Nature Protocols
|October 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

We developed a low-cost magnetic bead protocol to isolate pure macropinosomes, essential vesicles for cellular processes like immune response and pathogen uptake. This method enables detailed proteomic analysis of macropinosome composition.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Macropinocytosis is a nonselective cellular uptake process involving large vesicles called macropinosomes.
  • Macropinosomes play crucial roles in diverse cellular functions, including antigen sampling, kidney homeostasis, cell migration, and pathogen entry.
  • Understanding macropinosome molecular composition is key to differentiating their regulation from other endocytic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel, cost-effective, and unbiased magnetic purification protocol for isolating macropinosomes.
  • To enable high-purity segregation of macropinosomes from other endocytic vesicles for subsequent analysis.
  • To facilitate the study of macropinosome composition in various cellular contexts, such as during bacterial invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 100 nm magnetic beads coupled with mass-spectrometry-based proteomic analysis.
  • Employed a magnetic field to rapidly retain macropinosome-bound beads from cell lysates.
  • Developed a protocol adaptable for isolating infection-associated macropinosomes during bacterial invasion.

Main Results:

  • Achieved high purity and yield of macropinosomes using the magnetic bead-based protocol.
  • Demonstrated a low-cost and unbiased method minimizing sample loss compared to traditional techniques.
  • Successfully isolated infection-associated macropinosomes for proteomic analysis.

Conclusions:

  • The presented magnetic purification protocol offers an efficient and accessible method for macropinosome isolation.
  • This technique allows for detailed qualitative proteomic analysis of macropinosomes, advancing understanding of their function.
  • The protocol is adaptable to various research needs, including the study of pathogen-host interactions.