Components of a Ubiquitin Ligase Complex Specify Polyubiquitination and Intracellular Trafficking of the General Amino Acid Permease

• Published in: The Journal of cell biology 2001-05, Vol.153 (4), p.649-662
• Main Authors: Helliwell, Stephen B., Losko, Sascha, Kaiser, Chris A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; amino acid permease; Amino Acid Transport Systems; Amino acids; Antibodies; Bul1 protein; Bul2 protein; Carbon Radioisotopes; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell membranes; Cellular biology; Citrulline - pharmacokinetics; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; Gap1 protein; Gene Deletion; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - physiology; Genetic mutation; Golgi Apparatus - enzymology; Ligases - metabolism; Membrane transport proteins; Membrane Transport Proteins - chemistry; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Membranes; Mutation; Nitrogen; Original; Plasma; Plasmids; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Protein Transport - physiology; Proteins; Rsp5 protein; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Ubiquitins; Ubiquitins - metabolism; Vacuoles; Vacuoles - enzymology; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1540-8140
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.153.4.649

Gap1p, the general amino acid permease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is regulated by intracellular sorting decisions that occur in either Golgi or endosomal compartments. Depending on nitrogen source, Gap1p is transported to the plasma membrane, where it functions for amino acid uptake, or to the vacuole, where it is degraded. We found that overexpression of Bul1p or Bul2p, two nonessential components of the Rsp5p E3-ubiquitin ligase complex, causes Gap1p to be sorted to the vacuole regardless of nitrogen source. The double mutant bul1Δ bul2Δ has the inverse phenotype, causing Gap1p to be delivered to the plasma membrane more efficiently than in wild-type cells. In addition, bul1Δ bul2Δ can reverse the effect of lst4Δ, a mutation that normally prevents Gap1p from reaching the plasma membrane. Evaluation of Gap1p ubiquitination revealed a prominent polyubiquitinated species that was greatly diminished in a bul1Δ bul2Δ mutant. Both a rsp5-1 mutant and a COOH-terminal truncation of Gap1p behave as bul1Δ bul2Δ, causing constitutive delivery of Gap1p to the plasma membrane and decreasing Gap1p polyubiquitination. These results indicate that Bul1p and Bul2p, together with Rsp5p, generate a polyubiquitin signal on Gap1p that specifies its intracellular targeting to the vacuole.