Journal: iScience
Article Title: The endoplasmic reticulum membrane complex promotes proteostasis of GABA A receptors
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104754
Figure Lengend Snippet: EMC3 and EMC6 promote anterograde trafficking of GABA A receptors (A and B) Significant reduction of cell surface and total α1 and β2 subunits of GABA A receptors was observed when both EMC3 and EMC6 were knocked down. We carried out siRNA transfection in HEK293T cells stably expressing α1β2γ2 GABA A receptors. To test the surface expression of GABA A receptors, biotinylation experiments were performed 48 h after siRNA transfection of both EMC3 and EMC6 (A). Surface proteins were enriched through biotin-neutravidin affinity purification, and western blot analysis was applied to detect surface α1 and β2 subunits. Na + /K + ATPase served as loading control of cell surface proteins. To test the total protein expression of GABA A receptors, cells were lysed and total proteins were collected and subjected to SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis (B). β-actin was used as the total protein loading control. Normalized band intensity was shown on the right to the blots (n = 3). (C) The ratio of the surface/total subunits of GABA A receptors was quantified, as a measure of their surface trafficking efficiency. Data was taken from (A) and (B) for the calculation. (D) HEK293T cells stably expressing α1β2γ2 GABA A receptors were transfected with non-targeting siRNA or siRNAs against EMC3 and EMC6. 48 h after transfection, cycloheximide (CHX) (100 μg/mL), a potent protein synthesis inhibitor, was added to cell culture media for the indicated time. Cells were then harvested, and total proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. Quantification of the α1 band intensity was plotted against the incubation time with CHX (n = 3). (E and F) EMC3 and EMC6 promote GABA A receptors’ trafficking from the ER to Golgi as demonstrated through endoglycosidase H (Endo H) digestion. EMC3 or EMC6 siRNA transfection was applied in HEK293T cells stably expressing α1β2γ2 GABA A receptors; 48 h after transfection, proteins were extracted, and subjected to Endo H digestion and western blot analysis. Endo H resistant bands (top two bands in lanes two and 4) represent proteins that have correctly folded in the ER, trafficked to Golgi and fully modified with the N -linked complex glycans, thus becoming resistant to Endo H. On the other hand, acting upon proteins remaining in ER, Endo H may remove the high mannose structure after the asparaginyl- N -acetyl-D-glucosamine on the α1 subunits, generating Endo H sensitive bands (bottom band in lanes two and 4). The Peptide-N-Glycosidase F (PNGase F) enzyme-treated samples served as a control for unglycosylated α1 subunits (lane 5). Quantification of the ratio of Endo H resistant/total α1 band intensity, as a measure of the trafficking efficiency of α1 subunits, was shown on the right (n = 3). (G) HEK293T cells stably expressing α1β2γ2 GABA A receptors were transfected with non-targeting siRNA or siRNAs against EMC3, EMC6, or both EMC3 and EMC6. 48 h after transfection, cells were harvested, and total proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. Quantification of the normalized individual EMC subunit band intensity was shown on the right panels (n = 3). Each data point is presented as mean ± SEM ∗, p< 0.05; ∗∗, p< 0.01. NT: Non-targeting scrambled siRNA.
Article Snippet: Plasmid: EMC6 , OriGene Technologies , RC215548.
Techniques: Transfection, Stable Transfection, Expressing, Affinity Purification, Western Blot, Control, SDS Page, Cell Culture, Incubation, Modification