VAP-B binds to Rab3GAP1 at the ER: its implication in nuclear envelope formation through the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment.

The vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAP-B) is a tail-anchored protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). VAP-B functions as an adaptor protein to recruit target proteins to the ER and execute various cellular functions, lipid transport, membrane traffic, ER stress etc. Recently, VAP-B has been shown to regulate the nuclear envelope protein transport through the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). We showed here that VAP-B directly binds to Rab3 GTPase activating protein 1 (Rab3GAP1), the catalytic subunit of Rab3GAP, through the two phenylalanines (FF) in an acidic tract (FFAT)-like motif of Rab3GAP1. Rab3GAP consists of two subunits, the catalytic subunit Rab3GAP1 and the non-catalytic subunit Rab3GAP2. VAP-B binds to Rab3GAP1 even in the Rab3GAP1/2 heterodimer complex. A single amino acid substitution of the FFAT-like motif reduces the binding activity of Rab3GAP1 to VAP-B. On the other hand, the FFAT-like motif mutation increases the binding activity of Rab3GAP1 to ERGIC-53, the ERGIC marker protein. Overexpression of Rab3GAP1 affects nuclear envelope formation more potently than that of Rab3GAP1 FFAT-like motif mutant. These results suggest that the binding of VAP-B to Rab3GAP1 is implicated in the regulation of nuclear envelope formation through ERGIC.