Rab2 protein enhances coatomer recruitment to pre-Golgi intermediates

The Rab2 protein is a resident of pre-Golgi intermediates and required for vesicular transport in the early secretory pathway. We have previously shown that a peptide corresponding to the amino terminus of Rab2 (residues 2-14) arrests protein traffic prior to a rate-limiting event in VSV-G movement through pre-Golgi structures (Tisdale, E. J., and Balch, W. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 29372-29379). To determine the mechanism by which this peptide inhibits transport, we investigated the effect of the Rab2 peptide on the distribution of the beta-COP subunit of coatomer because COPI partially localizes to pre-Golgi intermediates. We found that the peptide caused a dramatic change in the distribution of pre-Golgi intermediates containing beta-COP. A quantitative binding assay was employed to measure recruitment of beta-COP to membrane when incubated with the Rab2 (13-mer). Peptide-treated microsomes showed a 25-70% increase in the level of membrane-associated beta-COP. The enhanced recruitment of coatomer to membrane was specific to the Rab2 (13-mer) and required guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate, ADP ribosylation factor, and protein kinase C-like activity. The ability to enhance beta-COP membrane binding was not limited to the peptide. Similarly, the addition of recombinant Rab2 protein to the assay promoted beta-COP membrane association. Our results suggest that the Rab2 peptide causes the persistent recruitment of COPI to pre-Golgi intermediates which ultimately arrests protein transport due to the inability of membranes to uncoat.