Flat clathrin lattices: stable features of the plasma membrane

Grove, J. , Metcalf, D. J., Knight, A. E., Wavre-Shapton, S. T., Sun, T., Protonotarios, E. D., Griffin, L. D., Lippincott-Schwartz, J. and Marsh, M. (2014) Flat clathrin lattices: stable features of the plasma membrane. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 25(22), pp. 3581-3594. (doi: 10.1091/mbc.E14-06-1154) (PMID:25165141) (PMCID:PMC4230618)

Abstract

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a fundamental property of eukaryotic cells. Classical CME proceeds via the formation of clathrin-coated pits (CCPs) at the plasma membrane, which invaginate to form clathrin-coated vesicles, a process that is well understood. However, clathrin also assembles into flat clathrin lattices (FCLs); these structures remain poorly described, and their contribution to cell biology is unclear. We used quantitative imaging to provide the first comprehensive description of FCLs and explore their influence on plasma membrane organization. Ultrastructural analysis by electron and superresolution microscopy revealed two discrete populations of clathrin structures. CCPs were typified by their sphericity, small size, and homogeneity. FCLs were planar, large, and heterogeneous and present on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of cells. Live microscopy demonstrated that CCPs are short lived and culminate in a peak of dynamin recruitment, consistent with classical CME. In contrast, FCLs were long lived, with sustained association with dynamin. We investigated the biological relevance of FCLs using the chemokine receptor CCR5 as a model system. Agonist activation leads to sustained recruitment of CCR5 to FCLs. Quantitative molecular imaging indicated that FCLs partitioned receptors at the cell surface. Our observations suggest that FCLs provide stable platforms for the recruitment of endocytic cargo.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Grove, Dr Joe
• Authors: Grove, J., Metcalf, D. J., Knight, A. E., Wavre-Shapton, S. T., Sun, T., Protonotarios, E. D., Griffin, L. D., Lippincott-Schwartz, J., and Marsh, M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: Molecular Biology of the Cell
• Publisher: American Society for Cell Biology
• ISSN: 1059-1524
• ISSN (Online): 1939-4586
• Published Online: 27 August 2014
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 Grove et al.
• First Published: First published in Molecular Biology of the Cell 25(22): 3581-3594
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License