Mechanisms of isoform specific Rap2 signaling during enterocytic brush border formation

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 9;9(9):e106687. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106687. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Brush border formation during polarity establishment of intestinal epithelial cells is uniquely governed by the Rap2A GTPase, despite expression of the other highly similar Rap2 isoforms (Rap2B and Rap2C). We investigated the mechanisms of this remarkable specificity and found that Rap2C is spatially segregated from Rap2A signaling as it is not enriched at the apical membrane after polarization. In contrast, both Rap2A and Rap2B are similarly located at Rab11 positive apical recycling endosomes and inside the brush border. However, although Rap2B localizes similarly it is not equally activated as Rap2A during brush border formation. We reveal that the C-terminal hypervariable region allows selective activation of Rap2A, yet this selectivity does not originate from the known differential lipid modifications of this region. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Rap2 specificity during brush border formation is determined by two distinct mechanisms involving segregated localization and selective activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Enterocytes / cytology
  • Enterocytes / ultrastructure*
  • Humans
  • Microvilli / metabolism*
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protein Transport
  • Signal Transduction*
  • rap GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Protein Isoforms
  • RAP2A protein, human
  • rap GTP-Binding Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO TOP grant). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.