A role for ADP-ribosylation factor 1, but not COP I, in secretory vesicle biogenesis from the trans-Golgi network.

A synthetic N-myristoylated peptide corresponding to the amino-terminal domain of ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) markedly increases, in a cell-free system using post-nuclear supernatant from PC12 cells, the biogenesis of constitutive secretory vesicles and immature secretory granules from the trans-Golgi network (TGN). The related N-myristoylated ARF4 peptide only weakly stimulates, and the non-myristoylated ARF1 and ARF4 peptides inhibit, the biogenesis of these secretory vesicles. In a modified cell-free system using TGN membranes, coatomer-depleted cytosol supports the biogenesis of TGN-derived secretory vesicles to the same extent as control cytosol. These results suggest a role for ARF1, but not the COP I coat, in secretory vesicle biogenesis from the TGN, possibly via the activation of phospholipase D.