A general role for Rab27a in secretory cells

Mol Biol Cell. 2004 Jan;15(1):332-44. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e03-07-0452. Epub 2003 Nov 14.

Abstract

Vesicular transport is a complex multistep process regulated by distinct Rab GTPases. Here, we show for the first time that an EGFP-Rab fusion protein is fully functional in a mammalian organism. We constructed a PAC-based transgenic mouse, which expresses EGFP-Rab27a under the control of endogenous Rab27a promoter. The EGFP-Rab27a transgene was fully functional and rescued the two major defects of the ashen Rab27a knockout mouse. We achieved cell-specific expression of EGFP-Rab27a, which faithfully followed the pattern of expression of endogenous Rab27a. We found that Rab27a is expressed in an exceptionally broad range of specialized secretory cells, including exocrine (particularly in mucin- and zymogen-secreting cells), endocrine, ovarian, and hematopoietic cells, most of which undergo regulated exocytosis. We suggest that Rab27a acts in concert with Rab3 proteins in most regulated secretory events. The present strategy represents one way in which the complex pattern of expression and function of proteins involved in specialized cell types may be unraveled.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endocrine Glands / cytology
  • Endocrine Glands / metabolism*
  • Exocrine Glands / cytology
  • Exocrine Glands / metabolism*
  • Exocytosis / physiology
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / cytology
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Ovary / cytology
  • Ovary / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Tissue Distribution
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Rab27a protein, mouse
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins