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Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells
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Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells

Published on: February 18, 2014

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Movement of the endoplasmic reticulum is driven by multiple classes of vesicles marked by Rab-GTPases

Allison Langley, Sarah Abeling-Wang, Erinn Wagner

    Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
    |May 27, 2024
    PubMed

    Insights

    Peripheral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules move via hitchhiking on Rab-vesicles. This study reveals ER hitchhiking on post-Golgi Rab6 vesicles and ER-to-Golgi Rab1 vesicles is crucial for ER movement.

    Area of Science:

    • Cell Biology
    • Molecular Biology
    • Organelle Dynamics

    Background:

    • Peripheral endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules interact with organelles via membrane contact sites.
    • ER movement relies on molecular motors, microtubule plus ends, or vesicle hitchhiking.

    Approach:

    • Screened Rab proteins in U2OS cells to identify vesicles involved in ER hitchhiking.
    • Investigated the role of Rab6-marked post-Golgi vesicles and Rab1-marked ER-to-Golgi vesicles in ER motility.
    • Disrupted Rab6 or vesicle motility to assess impact on ER movement.

    Key Points:

    • ER hitchhikes on post-Golgi vesicles marked by Rab6 (isoforms a and b).
    • Rab6-ER hitchhiking is independent of ER-endolysosome contacts and tip attachment complexes.
    • Motility of Rab6-vesicles is essential for a subset of ER movements.
    • ER-to-Golgi vesicles marked by Rab1 also drive ER movements.

    Conclusions:

    • Peripheral ER tubules utilize multiple mechanisms for movement, including hitchhiking on various Rab-vesicle classes.
    • ER hitchhiking on Rab-vesicles represents a significant mode of ER transport.
    • Post-Golgi Rab6/TGN46 and ER-to-Golgi Rab1 vesicles are key drivers of ER movement via hitchhiking.

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