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EEA1 links PI(3)K function to Rab5 regulation of endosome fusion

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Abstract

GTPases and lipid kinases regulate membrane traffic along the endocytic pathway by mechanisms that are not completely understood1,2,3,4. Fusion between early endosomes requires phosphatidyl-inositol-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K) activity5,6,7 as well as the small GTPase Rab5 (ref. 8). Excess Rab5–GTP complex restores endosome fusion when PI(3)K is inhibited5,9. Here we identify the early-endosomal autoantigen EEA1 (10–12) which binds the PI(3)K product phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate, as a new Rab5 effector that is required for endosome fusion. The association of EEA1 with the endosomal membrane requires Rab5–GTP and PI(3)K activity, and excess Rab5–GTP stabilizes the membrane association of EEA1 even when PI(3)K is inhibited. The identification of EEA1 as a direct Rab5 effector provides a molecular link between PI(3)K and Rab5, and its restricted distribution to early endosomes10 indicates that EEA1 may confer directionality to Rab5-dependent endocytic transport.

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Figure 1: Biochemical interaction between EEA1 and Rab5.
Figure 2: The C-terminal part of EEA1 inhibits basal and Rab5-stimulated early-endosome fusion in vivo.
Figure 3: EEA1 is required for early endosome fusion in vitro.
Figure 4: The membrane association of EEA1 is regulated by Rab5 and PI(3)K.

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Acknowledgements

We thank E. Rønning for technical assistance; D. Warren for help with the baculovirus system; N. Salmon and T. Nordeng for help with confocal microscopy; V. Rybin for providing the Rab5D136N–Rep1 complex; E. Kolpakova for anti-MBP antibodies; and H. McBride, S. Olsnes, K.Sandvig and B. Sönnichsen for comments on the manuscript. H.S. was supported by the Top Research Programme, the Research Council of Norway, the Norwegian Cancer Society and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. This work was supported by a European Community TMR grant (to H.S. and M.Z.).

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Author notes

  1. Carol Murphy

    Present address: University of Ioannina Medical School, 45110, Ioannina, Greece

  2. Anne Simonsen, Roger Lippe, Judy Callaghan and Ban-Hock Toh: These authors contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Montebello, N-0310, Oslo, Norway

    Anne Simonsen, Jean-Michel Gaullier & Harald Stenmark

  2. EMBL, Meyerhofstrasse, D-69012 1, Heidelberg, Germany

    Roger Lippe, Savvas Christoforidis, Carol Murphy & Marino Zerial

  3. EM-unit, Institute of Biology, PO Box 1050, Blindern, N-0316, Oslo, Norway

    Andreas Brech

  4. Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash Medical School, Prahran, 3181, Victoria, Australia

    Judy Callaghan & Ban-Hock Toh

  5. Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307, Dresden, Germany

    Roger Lippe, Savvas Christoforidis, Carol Murphy & Marino Zerial

Authors
  1. Anne Simonsen
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  10. Harald Stenmark
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Correspondence to Harald Stenmark.

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Simonsen, A., Lippe, R., Christoforidis, S. et al. EEA1 links PI(3)K function to Rab5 regulation of endosome fusion. Nature 394, 494–498 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/28879

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