Date of Graduation

5-2012

Document Type

Dissertation (PhD)

Program Affiliation

Cancer Biology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Advisor/Committee Chair

Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Dihua Yu, M.D., Ph.D.

Committee Member

Elsa R. Flores, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Peng Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ann-Bin Shyu, Ph.D.

Abstract

Receptor-mediated endocytosis is well known for its degradation and recycling trafficking. Recent evidence shows that these cell surface receptors translocate from cell surface to different cellular compartments, including the Golgi, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and the nucleus to regulate physiological and pathological functions. Although some trafficking mechanisms have been resolved, the mechanism of intracellular trafficking from cell surface to the Golgi is not yet completed understood. Here we report a mechanism of Golgi translocation of EGFR in which EGF-induced EGFR travels to the Golgi via microtubule (MT)-dependent movement by interacting with dynein and fuses with the Golgi through syntaxin 6 (Syn6)-mediated membrane fusion. We also demonstrate that the Golgi translocation of EGFR is necessary for its consequent nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Interestingly, foreign protein such as bacterial cholera toxin, which is known to activate its pathological function through the Golgi/ER retrograde pathway, also utilizes the MT/Syn6 pathway. Thus, the MT, and syntaxin 6 mediated trafficking pathway from cell surface to the Golgi and ER defines a comprehensive retrograde trafficking route for both cellular and foreign molecules to travel from cell surface to the Golgi and the nucleus.

Keywords

EGF receptor; Golgi nuclear translocation; SNARE; microtubule; cholera toxin

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