The eukaryotic-like characteristics of small GTPase, roadblock and TRAPPC3 proteins from Asgard archaea
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Abstract
Membrane-enclosed organelles are defining features of eukaryotes in distinguishing these organisms from prokaryotes. Specification of distinct membranes is critical to assemble and maintain discrete compartments. Small GTPases and their regulators are the signaling molecules that drive membrane-modifying machineries to the desired location. These signaling molecules include Rab and Rag GTPases, roadblock and longin domain proteins, and TRAPPC3-like proteins. Here, we take a structural approach to assess the relatedness of these eukaryotic-like proteins in Asgard archaea, the closest known prokaryotic relatives to eukaryotes. We find that the Asgard archaea GTPase core domains closely resemble eukaryotic Rabs and Rags. Asgard archaea roadblock, longin and TRAPPC3 domain-containing proteins form dimers similar to those found in the eukaryotic TRAPP and Ragulator complexes. We conclude that the emergence of these protein architectures predated eukaryogenesis, however further adaptations occurred in proto-eukaryotes to allow these proteins to regulate distinct internal membranes.
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“GEFs are structurally diverse, and can form large complexes which often contain subunits of the roadblock (RB)/longin families of proteins 5 .”
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- Authors
- Tran, L. T., Akıl, C., Senju, Y., & Robinson, R. C.
- Affiliations
- Okayama University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Robinson, Robert C.
- Venue
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2024-03-12
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 273-273
- ISSN
- 2399-3642 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10933270
- OpenAlex
- W4392705584
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 4.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Communications Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Okayama University Scientific Achievement Repository (Okayama University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- MEXT | JST | Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (JPMJCR19S5)
- MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JP20H00476, JP19K23727, JP23K05718, JP23H04423)
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9743)
- Simons Foundation (GBMF9743)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular transport and secretion
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
- Keywords
- Asgard archaea, eukaryotic origin, small GTPases, Rab GTPases, Rag GTPases, TRAPP complex, Ragulator complex, protein dimerization, membrane compartmentalization, prokaryotic evolution
- MeSH terms
- Archaea, Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins, Protein Transport
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