Human atlastins are sufficient to drive the fusion of liposomes with a physiological lipid composition.

ABSTRACT: The dynamin-like GTPase atlastin is believed to be the minimal machinery required for homotypic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane fusion, mainly because Drosophila atlastin is sufficient to drive liposome fusion. However, it remains unclear whether mammalian atlastins, including the three human atlastins, are sufficient to induce liposome fusion, raising doubts about their major roles in mammalian cells. Here, we show that all human atlastins are sufficient to induce fusion when reconstituted into liposomes with a lipid composition mimicking that of the ER. Although the fusogenic activity of ATL1, which is predominantly expressed in neuronal cells, was weaker than that of ATL2 or ATL3, the addition of M1-spastin, a neuron-specific factor, markedly increased ATL1-mediated liposome fusion.

SUBMITTER: Jang E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9949273 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature