Transmembrane domain length determines intracellular membrane compartment localization of syntaxins 3, 4, and 5

R. T. Watson, J. E. Pessin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

59 Scopus citations

Abstract

Insulin recruits glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) vesicles from intracellular stores to the plasma membrane in muscle and adipose tissue by specific interactions between the vesicle membranesoluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein target receptor (SNARE) protein VAMP-2 and the target membrane SNARE protein syntaxin 4. Although GLUT-4 vesicle trafficking has been intensely studied, few have focused on the mechanism by which the SNAREs themselves localize to specific membrane compartments. We therefore set out to identify the molecular determinants for localizing several syntaxin isoforms, including syntaxins 3, 4, and 5, to their respective intracellular compartments (plasma membrane for syntaxins 3 and 4; cis-Golgi for syntaxin 5). Analysis of a series of deletion and chimeric syntaxin constructs revealed that the 17-amino acid transmembrane domain of syntaxin 5 was sufficient to direct the cis-Golgi localization of several heterologous reporter constructs. In contrast, the longer 25-amino acid transmembrane domain of syntaxin 3 was sufficient to localize reporter constructs to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, truncation of the syntaxin 3 transmembrane domain to 17 amino acids resulted in a complete conversion to cis-Golgi compartmentalization that was indistinguishable from syntaxin 5. These data support a model wherein short transmembrane domains (≤17 amino acids) direct the cis-Golgi localization of syntaxins, whereas long transmembrane domains (≥23 amino acids) direct plasma membrane localization.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)C215-C223
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology
Volume281
Issue number1 50-1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Localization
  • Membrane targeting
  • Syntaxin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Cell Biology

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