Impaired dense core vesicle maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans mutants lacking Rab2.
Despite a key role for dense core vesicles (DCVs) in neuronal function, there are major gaps in our understanding of DCV biogenesis. A genetic screen for Caenorhabditis elegans mutants with behavioral defects consistent with impaired DCV function yielded five mutations in UNC-108 (Rab2). A genetic analysis showed that unc-108 mutations impair a DCV function unrelated to neuropeptide release that, together with neuropeptide release, fully accounts for the role of DCVs in locomotion. An electron microscopy analysis of DCVs in unc-108 mutants, coupled with quantitative imaging of DCV cargo proteins, revealed that Rab2 acts in cell somas during DCV maturation to prevent the loss of soluble and membrane cargo. In Rab2 null mutants, two thirds of these cargoes move to early endosomes via a PI(3)P-dependent trafficking pathway, whereas aggregated neuropeptides are unaffected. These results reveal how neurons solve a challenging trafficking problem using the most highly conserved animal Rab.
Genetic Models of Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
Stacey L
SL
Edwards
Nicole K
NK
Charlie
Janet E
JE
Richmond
Jan
J
Hegermann
Stefan
S
Eimer
Kenneth G
KG
Miller
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011992:Endosomes / Q000201:enzymology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D005838:Genotype; D008124:Locomotion; D055369:Miniature Postsynaptic Potentials; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000201:enzymology; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D020693:rab2 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates; C055525:phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate; C534960:UNC-108 protein, C elegans; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins; D020693:rab2 GTP-Binding Protein