Munc18-1 protein molecules move between membrane molecular depots distinct from vesicle docking sites

J Biol Chem. 2013 Feb 15;288(7):5102-13. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.407585. Epub 2012 Dec 6.

Abstract

Four evolutionarily conserved proteins are required for mammalian regulated exocytosis: three SNARE proteins, syntaxin, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin, and the SM protein, Munc18-1. Here, using single-molecule imaging, we measured the spatial distribution of large cohorts of single Munc18-1 molecules correlated with the positions of single secretory vesicles in a functionally rescued Munc18-1-null cellular model. Munc18-1 molecules were nonrandomly distributed across the plasma membrane in a manner not directed by mode of interaction with syntaxin1, with a small mean number of molecules observed to reside under membrane resident vesicles. Surprisingly, we found that the majority of vesicles in fully secretion-competent cells had no Munc18-1 associated within distances relevant to plasma membrane-vesicle SNARE interactions. Live cell imaging of Munc18-1 molecule dynamics revealed that the density of Munc18-1 molecules at the plasma membrane anticorrelated with molecular speed, with single Munc18-1 molecules displaying directed motion between membrane hotspots enriched in syntaxin1a. Our findings demonstrate that Munc18-1 molecules move between membrane depots distinct from vesicle morphological docking sites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Biological Transport
  • Biophysics / methods
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Munc18 Proteins / metabolism*
  • PC12 Cells
  • Protein Binding
  • Rats
  • SNARE Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Munc18 Proteins
  • SNARE Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins