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. 2014 May 27;3:e02009. doi: 10.7554/eLife.02009

Figure 3. Kinetic patterns of transport of GFP-albumin, VSVG-GFP and PC-III-GFP through the Golgi stack under steady-state conditions.

HeLa cells were transfected with GFP-albumin (AK) or PC-III-GFP (LN). After 16 hr of transfection, the Golgi area was bleached, and entry of these cargoes from the unbleached periphery (ER) into the Golgi area was monitored by FRAP. The cells were then fixed at different time points, stained for GM130 and TGN46, and re-localized for analysis of co-localization of the GFP-tagged cargoes with these Golgi markers. (AC) Bleaching of the Golgi area, as delineated by the dotted line, with post-bleaching recovery for 1 min (C). (DF) Detail of the same Golgi area shown in (C), showing co-localization of GFP-albumin (green) with GM130 (D, red), or TGN46 (E, red) or both (F: GM130, blue; TGN46, red). (GI) Similar experiments carried out on a nocodazole-induced Golgi ministack ('Materials and methods'), with 1-min post-bleaching co-localization of GFP-albumin (green) with GM130 (G, red) or TGN46 (H, red) or both (GM130, blue and TGN46, red) (I). (J) Quantification of the degree of co-localization of GFP-albumin with GM130 and TGN46 at different time points after bleaching, as illustrated in (AF). These data are expressed by normalizing the degree of co-localization of GFP-albumin in the TGN46 area to that of albumin in the GM130 area (set to 1). (K) Line scan along the arrow across the Golgi ministack shown in (I). The fluorescence intensities from representative points along the distance were plotted. (L and M) Cells were transfected with PC-III-GFP. The Golgi area (within the dotted line) was bleached, and the time course of entry of PC-III-GFP to the TGN was monitored. The cells were fixed and stained for TGN46 at 3 min (L) and 9 min (M) post-bleach, and the overlap between PC-III-GFP with TGN46 was examined. (N) Quantification of data in (L and M), expressed as mean ± SD from at least three independent experiments. (OS) To ascertain the earlier observations of rapid filling of the Golgi stack by GFP-albumin (AF), we resorted to electron microscopy. HeLa cells were transfected with GFP-albumin (O and R) or VSVG-GFP (P) or PC-III-GFP (Q). The Golgi localized fluorescence was bleached as before (time 0; O) and entry of cargo into the Golgi area monitored by FRAP and the cells fixed 2 min after recovery. The GFP fluorescence was then converted to a signal visible at the EM by photooxidation (see 'Photooxidation' under 'Materials and methods' section) using Diaminobenzidine (DAB). The DAB product is indicated by arrows. At time 0 the DAB product is present only in the ER with Golgi devoid of staining (O). After 2 min of fluorescence recovery, both VSVG-GFP (P) and PC-III-GFP (Q) are restricted to the cis-side of the Golgi, while GFP-albumin (R) is present throughout the Golgi. In the case of VSVG-GFP, DAB precipitate is visible outside of the Golgi cisternae because GFP is attached to the cytosolic tail of VSVG. In addition, nanogold labeling for Mannosidase II was done in (P) that marks the medial-part of the Golgi. The time 0 image shown is from cells expressing GFP-albumin; similar staining was obtained from both VSVG-GFP and PC-III-GFP expressing cells at time 0. (S) The percentage of cells that showed DAB product throughout the Golgi 2 min after recovery was calculated and presented as mean ± SD. Bar: 2 μm (AM), 220 nm (OR).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02009.006

Figure 3.

Figure 3—figure supplement 1. Localization, transport behavior, and dynamics of GFP-albumin at steady-state.

Figure 3—figure supplement 1.

(A and B) Intra-Golgi distribution of GFP-albumin at steady-state. HeLa cells were transfected with GFP-albumin, kept for 24 hr at 37°C, and then fixed and labeled for immuno-EM with an antibody against GFP (10 nm gold) and TGN 46 (5 nm gold; green arrows) (A). The albumin distribution depicted in (A) was quantified and the steady-state GFP-albumin in the cis-Golgi and trans-Golgi is shown as labeling density (LD) normalized to that of the ER (B). (CE) Kinetics of secretion of GFP-albumin. HeLa cells expressing GFP-albumin (lanes 1, 3) and HepG2 cells (lanes 2, 4) were washed with serum free media and incubated at 37°C for indicated times in serum free media. The cell lysate immediately after wash (C) and media after 60 min of incubation (D) were resolved by SDS-PAGE and probed with anti-albumin antibody. Quantification of the secreted protein (as % total) shows that albumin and GFP-albumin are released into the medium with similar kinetics (E). The minor low-molecular-weight form of GFP-albumin in the intracellular pool (C, lower band in lane 1) is probably a misfolded form of the protein undergoing degradation, and it is not secreted (D, lane 3). (F–H) Dynamics of GFP-albumin at steady-state. HeLa cells were transfected with GFP-albumin and examined using the FRAP approach ('Materials and methods'). (F) Entry of GFP-albumin into the Golgi area. The fluorescence in the whole Golgi area was bleached, and the recovery of fluorescence into the bleached area was monitored. (G) Exit of GFP-albumin from the Golgi area. The fluorescence of the whole cell less the Golgi area was bleached, and the loss of GFP-albumin from the Golgi area was monitored. (H) Diffusion of GFP-albumin along the Golgi ribbon. The fluorescence of a part of the Golgi area was bleached, and the recovery of fluorescence into the bleached region was monitored. The data expressed are in mean ±S.D from three independent experiments (E) or five independent experiments (F–H). Bar: 130 nm (A).
Figure 3—figure supplement 2. Kinetics of antitrypsin processing by Golgi enzymes reflects its fast kinetics of transport.

Figure 3—figure supplement 2.

Transport of antitrypsin (A) and VSVG (B) along the secretory pathway was monitored by radioactive pulse chase assay. HepG2 cells infected with VSV was pulsed with radioactive aminoacids (35S-methionine and cysteine) for 5 min and then chased for indicated times in cold media. At the end of the chase period the cells were lysed and VSVG or antitrypsin were immunoprecipitated and subjected to Endoglycosidase H digestion as indicated and resolved by SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography. EndoHr–Endoglycodisase resistant, EndoHs–Endoglycosidase sensitive, immature–EndoHr form of antitrypsin that was not processed by trans-Golgi resident enzymes and mature–EndoHr form of antitrypsin processed by trans-Golgi resident enzymes. It is important to note here that the quantities of antitrypsin and VSVG present are very similar suggesting that the difference in the transport behavior of these proteins is not due to differences in their abundance. In addition, as mentioned in the text, the transport behaviors of antitrypsin and albumin are similar, reiterating further that the differences in the transport behavior between soluble secretory cargoes (albumin and antitrypsin) and VSVG/PC is possibly not due to the differences in their abundance.