In mammalian cells, homeostasis and fate during development relies on the proper transport of membrane-bound cargoes to their designated cellular locations. The hetero-tetrameric adaptor protein complexes (APs) are required for sorting and concentration of cargo at donor membranes, a crucial step during targeted transport. AP2, which functions at the plasma membrane during clathrin-mediated endocytosis, is well characterized. In contrast, AP1 a clathrin adaptor mediating the delivery of lysosomal hydrolases via mannose 6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) and AP3 an adaptor ensuring the proper targeting of lysosomal membrane protein are difficult to study by classic cell biology tools. To gain new insights on these APs, our lab has previously designed an in vitro system. Reconstituted liposomes were modified with small peptides mimicking the cytosolic domains of bona fide cargoes for AP1 and AP3 respectively and thereby enabling the selective recruitment of these APs and the identification of the interacting protein network. In the study at hand we utilize above-described liposomes to generate supported lipid bilayers and Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs), large-scale membrane systems suited for analysis by fluorescence microscopy. By using cytosol containing fluorescently-tagged subunits, we visualized clathrin coats on artificial membranes under near physiological conditions for the first time. Moreover, we demonstrated clathrin-independent recruitment of AP3 coats on respective GUVs. Presence of active ARF1 was sufficient for the selective assembly of AP1-dependent clathrin coats and AP3 coats on GUVs. By using dye-conjugated ARF1, we show that ARF1 colocalized with AP3 coats on GUVs and that increased association of ARF1 with GUVs coincided with AP1-dependent clathrin coats. Our previous study identified members of the septin family together with AP3 coats on liposomes. Here we show on GUVs, that active ARF1 stimulated the assembly of septin7 filaments, which may constrain the size and mobility of AP3 coats on the surface. Subsequent cell biology studies in HeLa cells linked septins to actin fibers on which they may control mobility of AP3-coated endosomes and thus their maturation. An actin nucleation complex, based on CYFIP1 was identified together with AP1 on liposomes before. Here we show on GUVs, that CYFIP1 is recruited on the surface surrounding clathrin coats. Upon supply of ATP, sustained actin polymerization generated a thick shell of actin on the GUV surface. The force generated by actin assembly lead to formation of long tubular protrusions, which projected from the GUV surface and were decorated with clathrin coats. Thereby the GUV model illustrated a possible mechanism for tubular carriers formation. The importance of CYFIP1-reliant actin polymerization for the generation of MPR-positive tubules at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) of HeLa cells was subsequently demonstrated in our lab. The notion that tubulation of artificial membranes could be triggered by actin polymerization allowed us to perform a comparative mass spectrometry screen. By comparing the abundance of proteins on liposomes under conditions promoting or inhibiting actin polymerization, candidates possibly involved in stabilization, elongation or fission of membrane tubules could be identified. Among the proteins enriched under conditions promoting tubulation, we identified type I phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinases. Their presence suggested an involvement of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) in tubule formation. By cell biology studies in HeLa we show, that down regulation of these enzymes altered the dynamics of fluorescently-tagged MPRs, illustrating the importance of locally confined PI(4,5)P2 synthesis during formation of coated carriers at the TGN. Bin–Amphiphysin–Rvs (BAR) domains are known to sense membrane curvature and induce membrane tubulation. Among various BAR domain proteins, Arfaptin2 was enriched under conditions allowing tubulation of liposomes. By microscopy studies on HeLa cells we show, that Arfaptin2 as well as its close paralog Arfaptin1 were present on AP1-coated MPR tubules emerging from the TGN. We further show, that tubule fission occurred at regions were Arfaptin1 is concentrated and that simultaneous down regulation of both Arfaptins lead to increased number and length of MPR tubules. Since fission of coated transport intermediates at the TGN is poorly understood, our findings contribute a valuable component towards a model describing the entire biogenesis of coated post-Golgi carriers. In conclusion, combining artificial membrane systems and cell biology studies allowed us to propose new models for formation as wall as for fission of AP1-coated transport intermediates at the TGN. Further we gained new insights on AP3 coats and the possible involvement of septin filaments in AP3-dependent endosomal maturation.

In mammalian cells, homeostasis and fate during development relies on the proper transport of membrane-bound cargoes to their designated cellular locations. The hetero-tetrameric adaptor protein complexes (APs) are required for sorting and concentration of cargo at donor membranes, a crucial step during targeted transport. AP2, which functions at the plasma membrane during clathrin-mediated endocytosis, is well characterized. In contrast, AP1 a clathrin adaptor mediating the delivery of lysosomal hydrolases via mannose 6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) and AP3 an adaptor ensuring the proper targeting of lysosomal membrane protein are difficult to study by classic cell biology tools. To gain new insights on these APs, our lab has previously designed an in vitro system. Reconstituted liposomes were modified with small peptides mimicking the cytosolic domains of bona fide cargoes for AP1 and AP3 respectively and thereby enabling the selective recruitment of these APs and the identification of the interacting protein network. In the study at hand we utilize above-described liposomes to generate supported lipid bilayers and Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs), large-scale membrane systems suited for analysis by fluorescence microscopy. By using cytosol containing fluorescently-tagged subunits, we visualized clathrin coats on artificial membranes under near physiological conditions for the first time. Moreover, we demonstrated clathrin-independent recruitment of AP3 coats on respective GUVs. Presence of active ARF1 was sufficient for the selective assembly of AP1-dependent clathrin coats and AP3 coats on GUVs. By using dye-conjugated ARF1, we show that ARF1 colocalized with AP3 coats on GUVs and that increased association of ARF1 with GUVs coincided with AP1-dependent clathrin coats. Our previous study identified members of the septin family together with AP3 coats on liposomes. Here we show on GUVs, that active ARF1 stimulated the assembly of septin7 filaments, which may constrain the size and mobility of AP3 coats on the surface. Subsequent cell biology studies in HeLa cells linked septins to actin fibers on which they may control mobility of AP3-coated endosomes and thus their maturation. An actin nucleation complex, based on CYFIP1 was identified together with AP1 on liposomes before. Here we show on GUVs, that CYFIP1 is recruited on the surface surrounding clathrin coats. Upon supply of ATP, sustained actin polymerization generated a thick shell of actin on the GUV surface. The force generated by actin assembly lead to formation of long tubular protrusions, which projected from the GUV surface and were decorated with clathrin coats. Thereby the GUV model illustrated a possible mechanism for tubular carriers formation. The importance of CYFIP1-reliant actin polymerization for the generation of MPR-positive tubules at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) of HeLa cells was subsequently demonstrated in our lab. The notion that tubulation of artificial membranes could be triggered by actin polymerization allowed us to perform a comparative mass spectrometry screen. By comparing the abundance of proteins on liposomes under conditions promoting or inhibiting actin polymerization, candidates possibly involved in stabilization, elongation or fission of membrane tubules could be identified. Among the proteins enriched under conditions promoting tubulation, we identified type I phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinases. Their presence suggested an involvement of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) in tubule formation. By cell biology studies in HeLa we show, that down regulation of these enzymes altered the dynamics of fluorescently-tagged MPRs, illustrating the importance of locally confined PI(4,5)P2 synthesis during formation of coated carriers at the TGN. Bin–Amphiphysin–Rvs (BAR) domains are known to sense membrane curvature and induce membrane tubulation. Among various BAR domain proteins, Arfaptin2 was enriched under conditions allowing tubulation of liposomes. By microscopy studies on HeLa cells we show, that Arfaptin2 as well as its close paralog Arfaptin1 were present on AP1-coated MPR tubules emerging from the TGN. We further show, that tubule fission occurred at regions were Arfaptin1 is concentrated and that simultaneous down regulation of both Arfaptins lead to increased number and length of MPR tubules. Since fission of coated transport intermediates at the TGN is poorly understood, our findings contribute a valuable component towards a model describing the entire biogenesis of coated post-Golgi carriers. In conclusion, combining artificial membrane systems and cell biology studies allowed us to propose new models for formation as wall as for fission of AP1-coated transport intermediates at the TGN. Further we gained new insights on AP3 coats and the possible involvement of septin filaments in AP3-dependent endosomal maturation.

Over the past few years a large amount of work has provided growing insight into the molecular mechanisms that direct post-Golgi trafficking events in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae. However, a key event in this process, the formation of secretory vesicles at the Golgi and sorting of cargo into these transport carriers, remains poorly understood. It has been demonstrated that phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI(4)P) generated by the PI(4)-kinase Pik1p plays an essential role in maintenance of Golgi secretory function and morphology. Up to now relatively few targets of Pik1/PI(4)P signaling at the Golgi have been identified and it thus remains elusive how Pik1p mediates its essential function in Golgi secretion. During my thesis work, I used synthetic genetic array analysis (SGA) of a temperature-sensitive mutant allele of PIK1 (pik1-101) in order to gain better understanding of Pik1p function at the TGN and to isolate new regulators of post-Golgi transport in yeast. I identified a total of 85 genes, whose deletion resulted in a synthetic growth defect when combined with the pik1-101 mutation. 21 isolated deletion mutants were used for further analysis, several of which were found to share common trafficking phenotypes with the pik mutant. A striking result of the screen was the finding that Pik1p interacts genetically with several components of a potential post-translational modification pathway referred to as “urmylation pathway”. In addition, a novel, previously uncharacterized subunit of the Transport protein particle (TRAPP) complex was isolated as genetic interactor of Pik1p, suggesting a function for the TRAPP complex in a Pik1p dependent trafficking pathway. Using tandem affinity purification, I could also demonstrate that TRAPP shows previously unknown interactions with other regulators of post-Golgi transport. The second part of this thesis describes the development of a new visual screening approach. Recent work indicates that secretory cargo in yeast can be transported to the cell surface via at least two different exocytic branches. Upon block of one pathway cargo can be partially redistributed into the other pathway. This partial redundancy of exocytic pathways provides one explanation why genetic screens in the past were largely unsuccessful in identifying the molecular machinery that directs vesicle budding and cargo sorting at the TGN. I collaborated in the development of a novel screening method that was devised to circumvent this problem. The method took advantage of the systematic yeast knockout array and was based on the assumption that a defect in cargo sorting and cell surface transport could be detected as intracellular accumulation of a GFP-tagged model cargo. The suitability of our approach for identifying regulators of secretory transport has been demonstrated in a small-scale pilot study that will be presented in this thesis. The screening method proofed to be applicable on a genome-wide scale and can now be used for the screening of additional markers. This novel approach provides an entry point to the comprehensive study of TGN sorting.

Over the past few years a large amount of work has provided growing insight into the molecular mechanisms that direct post-Golgi trafficking events in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae. However, a key event in this process, the formation of secretory vesicles at the Golgi and sorting of cargo into these transport carriers, remains poorly understood. It has been demonstrated that phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI(4)P) generated by the PI(4)-kinase Pik1p plays an essential role in maintenance of Golgi secretory function and morphology. Up to now relatively few targets of Pik1/PI(4)P signaling at the Golgi have been identified and it thus remains elusive how Pik1p mediates its essential function in Golgi secretion. During my thesis work, I used synthetic genetic array analysis (SGA) of a temperature-sensitive mutant allele of PIK1 (pik1-101) in order to gain better understanding of Pik1p function at the TGN and to isolate new regulators of post-Golgi transport in yeast. I identified a total of 85 genes, whose deletion resulted in a synthetic growth defect when combined with the pik1-101 mutation. 21 isolated deletion mutants were used for further analysis, several of which were found to share common trafficking phenotypes with the pik mutant. A striking result of the screen was the finding that Pik1p interacts genetically with several components of a potential post-translational modification pathway referred to as “urmylation pathway”. In addition, a novel, previously uncharacterized subunit of the Transport protein particle (TRAPP) complex was isolated as genetic interactor of Pik1p, suggesting a function for the TRAPP complex in a Pik1p dependent trafficking pathway. Using tandem affinity purification, I could also demonstrate that TRAPP shows previously unknown interactions with other regulators of post-Golgi transport. The second part of this thesis describes the development of a new visual screening approach. Recent work indicates that secretory cargo in yeast can be transported to the cell surface via at least two different exocytic branches. Upon block of one pathway cargo can be partially redistributed into the other pathway. This partial redundancy of exocytic pathways provides one explanation why genetic screens in the past were largely unsuccessful in identifying the molecular machinery that directs vesicle budding and cargo sorting at the TGN. I collaborated in the development of a novel screening method that was devised to circumvent this problem. The method took advantage of the systematic yeast knockout array and was based on the assumption that a defect in cargo sorting and cell surface transport could be detected as intracellular accumulation of a GFP-tagged model cargo. The suitability of our approach for identifying regulators of secretory transport has been demonstrated in a small-scale pilot study that will be presented in this thesis. The screening method proofed to be applicable on a genome-wide scale and can now be used for the screening of additional markers. This novel approach provides an entry point to the comprehensive study of TGN sorting.