Interactions between Sla1p, Lsb5p and Arf3p in yeast endocytosis.

Endocytosis is critical for controlling the protein-lipid composition of the plasma membrane, uptake of nutrients as well as pathogens, and also plays an important role in regulation of cell signalling. While a number of pathways for endocytosis have been characterized in different organisms, all of these require remodelling of the cell cortex. The importance of a dynamic actin cytoskeleton for facilitating endocytosis has been recognized for many years in budding yeast, and is increasingly supported by studies in mammalian cells. Our studies have focused on proteins that we have shown to act at the interface between the actin cytoskeleton and the endocytic machinery. In particular, we have studied interactions of Sla1p, which binds to both activators of actin dynamics, i.e. Abp1p, Las17p and Pan1p, and to cargo proteins such as the pheromone receptor Ste2p. More recently we have mapped the interaction of Sla1p with Lsb5p, a protein that has a similar structure to the GGA [Golgi-localizing, gamma-adaptin ear homology domain, Arf (ADP-ribosylation factor)-binding] family of proteins with an N-terminal VHS (Vps27p/Hrs/STAM)-domain and a GAT (GGAs and TOM1) domain. We show that Lsb5p can interact with yeast Arf3p (orthologous with mammalian Arf6) and we demonstrate a requirement for Arf3p expression in order to localize Lsb5p to the cell cortex.