Toward visualization of nanomachines in their native cellular environment

The cellular nanocosm is made up of numerous types of macromolecular complexes or biological nanomachines. These form functional modules that are organized into complex subcellular networks. Information on the ultra-structure of these nanomachines has mainly been obtained by analyzing isolated structures, using imaging techniques such as X-ray crystallography, NMR, or single particle electron microscopy (EM). Yet there is a strong need to image biological complexes in a native state and within a cellular environment, in order to gain a better understanding of their functions. Emerging methods in EM are now making this goal reachable. Cryo-electron tomography bypasses the need for conventional fixatives, dehydration and stains, so that a close-to-native environment is retained. As this technique is approaching macromolecular resolution, it is possible to create maps of individual macromolecular complexes. X-ray and NMR data can be ‘docked’ or fitted into the lower resolution particle density maps to create a macromolecular atlas of the cell under normal and pathological conditions. The majority of cells, however, are too thick to be imaged in an intact state and therefore methods such as ‘high pressure freezing’ with ‘freeze-substitution followed by room temperature plastic sectioning’ or ‘cryo-sectioning of unperturbed vitreous fully hydrated samples’ have been introduced for electron tomography. Here, we review methodological considerations for visualizing nanomachines in a close-to-physiological, cellular context. EM is in a renaissance, and further innovations and training in this field should be fully supported

Annexin A8 Regulates Late Endosome Organization and Function

Different classes of endosomes exhibit a characteristic intracellular steady-state distribution governed by interactions with the cytoskeleton. Late endosomes, organelles of the degradative lysosomal route, seem to require associated actin filaments for proper localization and function. We show here that the F-actin and phospholipid binding protein annexin A8 is associated specifically with late endosomes. Altering intracellular annexin A8 levels drastically affected the morphology and intracellular distribution of late endosomes. Trafficking through the degradative pathway was delayed in the absence of annexin A8, resulting in attenuated ligand-induced degradation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and prolonged epidermal growth factor-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. Depletion of annexin A8 reduced the association of late endosomal membranes with actin filaments. These results indicate that the defective cargo transport through the late endocytic pathway and the imbalanced signaling of activated receptors observed in the absence of annexin A8 results from the disturbed association of late endosomal membranes with the actin network, resulting in impaired actin-based late endosome motility

Vesicular Calcium Regulates Coat Retention, Fusogenicity, and Size of Pre-Golgi Intermediates

This study establishes a role for luminal Ca2+ in ER/Golgi transport organelles and elucidates an effector mechanism involving the EF-hand protein ALG-2 and regulation of COPII coat retention