FCHO controls AP2's initiating role in endocytosis through a PtdIns(4,5)P2-dependent switch.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the main mechanism by which mammalian cells control their cell surface proteome. Proper operation of the pivotal CME cargo adaptor AP2 requires membrane-localized Fer/Cip4 homology domain-only proteins (FCHO). Here, live-cell enhanced total internal reflection fluorescence-structured illumination microscopy shows that FCHO marks sites of clathrin-coated pit (CCP) initiation, which mature into uniform-sized CCPs comprising a central patch of AP2 and clathrin corralled by an FCHO/Epidermal growth factor potential receptor substrate number 15 (Eps15) ring. We dissect the network of interactions between the FCHO interdomain linker and AP2, which concentrates, orients, tethers, and partially destabilizes closed AP2 at the plasma membrane. AP2's subsequent membrane deposition drives its opening, which triggers FCHO displacement through steric competition with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, clathrin, cargo, and CME accessory factors. FCHO can now relocate toward a CCP's outer edge to engage and activate further AP2s to drive CCP growth/maturation.

A nanobody-based molecular toolkit provides new mechanistic insight into clathrin-coat initiation.

Besides AP-2 and clathrin triskelia, clathrin coat inception depends on a group of early-arriving proteins including Fcho1/2 and Eps15/R. Using genome-edited cells, we described the role of the unstructured Fcho linker in stable AP-2 membrane deposition. Here, expanding this strategy in combination with a new set of llama nanobodies against EPS15 shows an FCHO1/2-EPS15/R partnership plays a decisive role in coat initiation. A nanobody containing an Asn-Pro-Phe peptide within the complementarity-determining region 3 loop is a function-blocking pseudoligand for tandem EPS15/R EH domains. Yet, in living cells, EH domains gathered at clathrin-coated structures are poorly accessible, indicating residence by endogenous NPF-bearing partners. Forcibly sequestering cytosolic EPS15 in genome-edited cells with nanobodies tethered to early endosomes or mitochondria changes the subcellular location and availability of EPS15. This combined approach has strong effects on clathrin coat structure and function by dictating the stability of AP-2 assemblies at the plasma membrane.

Cellular and viral peptides bind multiple sites on the N-terminal domain of clathrin.

Short peptide motifs in unstructured regions of clathrin-adaptor proteins recruit clathrin to membranes to facilitate post-Golgi membrane transport. Three consensus clathrin-binding peptide sequences have been identified and structural studies show that each binds distinct sites on the clathrin heavy chain N-terminal domain (NTD). A fourth binding site for adaptors on NTD has been functionally identified but not structurally characterised. We have solved high resolution structures of NTD bound to peptide motifs from the cellular clathrin adaptors ß2 adaptin and amphiphysin plus a putative viral clathrin adaptor, hepatitis D virus large antigen (HDAg-L). Surprisingly, with each peptide we observe simultaneous peptide binding at multiple sites on NTD and viral peptides binding to the same sites as cellular peptides. Peptides containing clathrin-box motifs (CBMs) with the consensus sequence LΦxΦ[DE] bind at the 'arrestin box' on NTD, between ß-propeller blades 4 and 5, which had previously been thought to bind a distinct consensus sequence. Further, we structurally define the fourth peptide binding site on NTD, which we term the Royle box. In vitro binding assays show that clathrin is more readily captured by cellular CBMs than by HDAg-L, and site-directed mutagenesis confirms that multiple binding sites on NTD contribute to efficient capture by CBM peptides.

Transient Fcho1/2⋠Eps15/R⋠AP-2 Nanoclusters Prime the AP-2 Clathrin Adaptor for Cargo Binding.

Clathrin-coated vesicles form by rapid assembly of discrete coat constituents into a cargo-sorting lattice. How the sequential phases of coat construction are choreographed is unclear, but transient protein-protein interactions mediated by short interaction motifs are pivotal. We show that arrayed Asp-Pro-Phe (DPF) motifs within the early-arriving endocytic pioneers Eps15/R are differentially decoded by other endocytic pioneers Fcho1/2 and AP-2. The structure of an Eps15/R⋅Fcho1 µ-homology domain complex reveals a spacing-dependent DPF triad, bound in a mechanistically distinct way from the mode of single DPF binding to AP-2. Using cells lacking FCHO1/2 and with Eps15 sequestered from the plasma membrane, we establish that without these two endocytic pioneers, AP-2 assemblies are fleeting and endocytosis stalls. Thus, distinct DPF-based codes within the unstructured Eps15/R C terminus direct the assembly of temporary Fcho1/2⋅Eps15/R⋅AP-2 ternary complexes to facilitate conformational activation of AP-2 by the Fcho1/2 interdomain linker to promote AP-2 cargo engagement.

F-BAR/EFC Domain Proteins: Some Assembly Required.

Polymeric spirals of crescent-shaped BAR-domain superfamily proteins are touted to girdle eukaryotic phospholipid bilayers into narrow tubules for trafficking and membrane remodeling events. But McDonald et al. (2015) in this issue of Developmental Cell question whether this broadly held view and conceptually appealing mechanism for membrane sculpting is really overhyped.

A clathrin coat assembly role for the muniscin protein central linker revealed by TALEN-mediated gene editing.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is an evolutionarily ancient membrane transport system regulating cellular receptivity and responsiveness. Plasmalemma clathrin-coated structures range from unitary domed assemblies to expansive planar constructions with internal or flanking invaginated buds. Precisely how these morphologically-distinct coats are formed, and whether all are functionally equivalent for selective cargo internalization is still disputed. We have disrupted the genes encoding a set of early arriving clathrin-coat constituents, FCHO1 and FCHO2, in HeLa cells. Endocytic coats do not disappear in this genetic background; rather clustered planar lattices predominate and endocytosis slows, but does not cease. The central linker of FCHO proteins acts as an allosteric regulator of the prime endocytic adaptor, AP-2. By loading AP-2 onto the plasma membrane, FCHO proteins provide a parallel pathway for AP-2 activation and clathrin-coat fabrication. Further, the steady-state morphology of clathrin-coated structures appears to be a manifestation of the availability of the muniscin linker during lattice polymerization.

Visualization of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in live Drosophila egg chambers.

In oviparous animals, clathrin-dependent endocytosis is often critical to stockpile a necessary supply of yolk within the maturing oocyte, which enables subsequent embryonic development. In the physically linked chains of maturing egg chambers within the Drosophila melanogaster ovary, a distinct, morphologically discernable subset undergoes a massive burst clathrin-mediated endocytosis to accumulate yolk in a process termed vitellogenesis. Here, we describe how to prepare isolated ovaries to follow endocytosis, and detail approaches to follow live uptake of soluble reporters into vitellogenic Drosophila egg chambers.

A phosphotyrosine switch for cargo sequestration at clathrin-coated buds.

The AP-2 clathrin adaptor complex oversees endocytic cargo selection in two parallel but independent manners. First, by physically engaging peptide-based endocytic sorting signals, a subset of clathrin-dependent transmembrane cargo is directly collected into assembling buds. Synchronously, by interacting with an assortment of clathrin-associated sorting proteins (CLASPs) that independently select different integral membrane cargo for inclusion within the incipient bud, AP-2 handles additional cargo capture indirectly. The distal platform subdomain of the AP-2 ß2 subunit appendage is a privileged CLASP-binding surface that recognizes a cognate, short α-helical interaction motif. This signal, found in the CLASPs ß-arrestin and the autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH) protein, docks into an elongated groove on the ß2 appendage platform. Tyr-888 is a critical constituent of this spatially confined ß2 appendage contact interface and is phosphorylated in numerous high-throughput proteomic studies. We find that a phosphomimetic Y888E substitution does not interfere with incorporation of expressed ß2-YFP subunit into AP-2 or alter AP-2 deposition at surface clathrin-coated structures. The Y888E mutation does not affect interactions involving the sandwich subdomain of the ß2 appendage, indicating that the mutated appendage is folded and operational. However, the Y888E, but not Y888F, switch selectively uncouples interactions with ARH and ß-arrestin. Phyogenetic conservation of Tyr-888 suggests that this residue can reversibly control occupancy of the ß2 platform-binding site and, hence, cargo sorting.

Cargo recognition in clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

The endosomal system is expansive and complex, characterized by swift morphological transitions, dynamic remodeling of membrane constituents, and intracellular positioning changes. To properly navigate this ever-altering membrane labyrinth, transmembrane protein cargoes typically require specific sorting signals that are decoded by components of protein coats. The best-characterized sorting process within the endosomal system is the rapid internalization of select transmembrane proteins within clathrin-coated vesicles. Endocytic signals consist of linear motifs, conformational determinants, or covalent modifications in the cytosolic domains of transmembrane cargo. These signals are interpreted by a diverse set of clathrin-associated sorting proteins (CLASPs) that translocate from the cytosol to the inner face of the plasma membrane. Signal recognition by CLASPs is highly cooperative, involving additional interactions with phospholipids, Arf GTPases, other CLASPs, and clathrin, and is regulated by large conformational changes and covalent modifications. Related sorting events occur at other endosomal sorting stations.

Requirement for a uroplakin 3a-like protein in the development of zebrafish pronephric tubule epithelial cell function, morphogenesis, and polarity.

Uroplakin (UP)3a is critical for urinary tract development and function; however, its role in these processes is unknown. We examined the function of the UP3a-like protein Upk3l, which was expressed at the apical surfaces of the epithelial cells that line the pronephric tubules (PTs) of the zebrafish pronephros. Embryos treated with upk3l-targeted morpholinos showed decreased pronephros function, which was attributed to defects in PT epithelial cell morphogenesis and polarization including: loss of an apical brush border and associated phospho-ERM proteins, apical redistribution of the basolateral Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, and altered or diminished expression of the apical polarity complex proteins Prkcz (atypical protein kinase C zeta) and Pard3 (Par3). Upk3l missing its C-terminal cytoplasmic domain or containing mutations in conserved tyrosine or proline residues did not rescue, or only partially rescued the effects of Upk3l depletion. Our studies indicate that Upk3l promotes epithelial polarization and morphogenesis, likely by forming or stimulating interactions with cytoplasmic signaling or polarity proteins, and that defects in this process may underlie the pathology observed in UP3a knockout mice or patients with renal abnormalities that result from altered UP3a expression.

Distinct and separable activities of the endocytic clathrin-coat components Fcho1/2 and AP-2 in developmental patterning.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis occurs at multiple independent import sites on the plasma membrane, but how these positions are selected and how different cargo is simultaneously recognized is obscure. FCHO1 and FCHO2 are early-arriving proteins at surface clathrin assemblies and are speculated to act as compulsory coat nucleators, preceding the core clathrin adaptor AP-2. Here, we show that the µ-homology domain of FCHO1/2 represents an endocytic interaction hub. Translational silencing of fcho1 in zebrafish embryos causes strong dorsoventral patterning defects analogous to Bmp signal failure. The Fcho1 µ-homology domain interacts with the Bmp receptor Alk8, uncovering an endocytic component that positively modulates Bmp signal transmission. Still, the fcho1 morphant phenotype is distinct from severe embryonic defects apparent when AP-2 is depleted. Our data thus challenge the primacy of FCHO1/2 in coat initiation.

The apoptotic engulfment protein Ced-6 participates in clathrin-mediated yolk uptake in Drosophila egg chambers.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis and phagocytosis are both selective surface internalization processes but have little known mechanistic similarity or interdependence. Here we show that the phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain protein Ced-6, a well-established phagocytosis component that operates as a transducer of so-called "eat-me" signals during engulfment of apoptotic cells and microorganisms, is expressed in the female Drosophila germline and that Ced-6 expression correlates with ovarian follicle development. Ced-6 exhibits all the known biochemical properties of a clathrin-associated sorting protein, yet ced-6-null flies are semifertile despite massive accumulation of soluble yolk precursors in the hemolymph. This is because redundant sorting signals within the cytosolic domain of the Drosophila vitellogenin receptor Yolkless, a low density lipoprotein receptor superfamily member, occur; a functional atypical dileucine signal binds to the endocytic AP-2 clathrin adaptor directly. Nonetheless, the Ced-6 PTB domain specifically recognizes the noncanonical Yolkless FXNPXA sorting sequence and in HeLa cells promotes the rapid, clathrin-dependent uptake of a Yolkless chimera lacking the distal dileucine signal. Ced-6 thus operates in vivo as a clathrin adaptor. Because the human Ced-6 orthologue GULP similarly binds to clathrin machinery, localizes to cell surface clathrin-coated structures, and is enriched in placental clathrin-coated vesicles, new possibilities for Ced-6/Gulp operation during phagocytosis must be considered.

Getting in touch with the clathrin terminal domain.

The N-terminal domain (TD) of the clathrin heavy chain is folded into a seven-bladed ß-propeller that projects inward from the polyhedral outer clathrin coat. As the most membrane-proximal portion of assembled clathrin, the TD is a major protein-protein interaction node. Contact with the TD ß-propeller occurs through short peptide sequences typically located within intrinsically disordered segments of coat components that usually are elements of the membrane-apposed, inner 'adaptor' coat layer. A huge variation in TD-binding motifs is known and now four spatially discrete interaction surfaces upon the ß-propeller have been delineated. An important operational feature of the TD interaction sites in vivo is functional redundancy. The recent discovery that 'pitstop' chemical inhibitors apparently occupy only one of the four TD interaction surfaces, but potently block clathrin-mediated endocytosis, warrants careful consideration of the underlying molecular basis for this inhibition.

A chimeric pre-ubiquitinated EGF receptor is constitutively endocytosed in a clathrin-dependent, but kinase-independent manner.

The roles of EGF receptor (EGFR) kinase activity and ubiquitination in EGFR endocytosis have been controversial. The adaptor protein and ubiquitin ligase Cbl has reportedly been required. Consistently, we now report that siRNA-mediated knock-down of c-Cbl and Cbl-b significantly slowed clathrin-dependent internalization of activated wild-type (wt) EGFR by inhibiting recruitment of the EGFR to clathrin-coated pits. However, a chimeric protein consisting of wt-EGFR, a C-terminal linker and four linearly connected ubiquitins was found to interact with Eps15 and epsin 1 and to be constitutively endocytosed in a clathrin-dependent manner. Interestingly, endocytosis of this fusion protein did not require binding of EGF. Nor was kinase activity required, and the fusion protein was endocytosed in the presence of an EGFR kinase inhibitor, which efficiently counteracted tyrosine phosphorylation. This demonstrates that ubiquitination over-rides the requirement for kinase activity in recruitment of the EGFR to clathrin-coated pits.

AMN directs endocytosis of the intrinsic factor-vitamin B(12) receptor cubam by engaging ARH or Dab2.

Cubam is a multi-ligand receptor involved in dietary uptake of intrinsic factor-vitamin B(12) in the small intestine and reabsorption of various low-molecular-weight proteins (such as albumin, transferrin, apolipoprotein A-I and vitamin D-binding protein) in the kidney. Cubam is composed of two proteins: cubilin and amnionless. Cubilin harbors ligand binding capabilities, while amnionless provides membrane anchorage and potential endocytic capacity via two FXNPXF signals within the cytosolic domain. These signals are similar to the FXNPXY signals found in members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily, which associate with clathrin-associated sorting proteins, including Disabled-2 (Dab2) and autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH), during endocytosis. We therefore investigated the functionality of each amnionless FXNPXF signal and their respective interaction with sorting proteins. By sequential mutation and expression of a panel of amnionless mutants combined with yeast two-hybrid analyses, we demonstrate that the signals are functionally redundant and both are able to mediate endocytosis of cubam through interaction with Dab2 and ARH.