The mechanism of internalization of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored prion protein.
The mode of internalization of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, lacking any cytoplasmic domain by which to engage adaptors to recruit them into coated pits, is problematical; that of prion protein in particular is of interest since its cellular trafficking appears to play an essential role in its pathogenic conversion. Here we demonstrate, in primary cultured neurons and the N2a neural cell line, that prion protein is rapidly and constitutively endocytosed. While still on the cell surface, prion protein leaves lipid 'raft' domains to enter non-raft membrane, from which it enters coated pits. The N-terminal domain (residues 23-107) of prion protein is sufficient to direct internalization, an activity dependent upon its initial basic residues (NH(2)-KKRPKP). The effect of this changing membrane environment upon the susceptibility of prion protein to pathogenic conversion is discussed.
Sunyach
Claire
C
Molecular Neurobiology Group, MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London Guy's Campus, London SEI 1UL, UK.
Jen
Angela
A
Deng
Juelin
J
Fitzgerald
Kathleen T
KT
Frobert
Yveline
Y
Grassi
Jacques
J
McCaffrey
Mary W
MW
Morris
Roger
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003034:Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D004705:Endocytosis; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
D004220:Disulfides; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens