Endosomal sorting of VAMP3 is regulated by PI4K2A

Abstract

Specificity of membrane fusion in vesicular trafficking is dependent on proper subcellular distribution of soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). Although SNARE complexes are fairly promiscuous in vitro, significant specificity is achieved in cells due to spatial segregation and shielding of SNARE motifs prior to association with cognate Q-SNAREs. In this study we identified phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIα (PI4K2A) as a binding partner of vesicle-associated membrane protein 3 (VAMP3), a small R-SNARE involved in recycling and retrograde transport, and found that the two proteins co-reside on tubulo-vesicular endosomes. PI4K2A knockdown inhibited VAMP3 trafficking to perinuclear membranes and impaired the rate of VAMP3-mediated recycling of the transferrin receptor. Moreover, depletion of PI4K2A significantly decreased association of VAMP3 with its cognate Q-SNARE, Vti1a. Although binding of VAMP3 to PI4K2A did not require kinase activity, acute depletion of PtdIns4P on endosomes significantly delayed VAMP3 trafficking. Phospholipid modulation of SNARE function has been proposed based on in vitro studies and our study provides mechanistic evidence in support of these claims by identifying PI4K2A and PtdIns4P as regulators of an R-SNARE in intact cells.