Chieko Nakada

Accumulation of anchored proteins forms membrane diffusion barriers during neuronal polarization

The formation and maintenance of polarized distributions of membrane proteins in the cell membrane are key to the function of polarized cells. In polarized neurons, various membrane proteins are localized to the somatodendritic domain or the axon. Neurons control polarized delivery of membrane proteins to each domain, and in addition, they must also block diffusional mixing of proteins between these domains. However, the presence of a diffusion barrier in the cell membrane of the axonal initial segment (IS), which separates these two domains, has been controversial: it is difficult to conceive barrier mechanisms by which an even diffusion of phospholipids could be blocked. Here, by observing the dynamics of individual phospholipid molecules in the plasma membrane of developing hippocampal neurons in culture, we found that their diffusion was blocked in the IS membrane. We also found that the diffusion barrier is formed in neurons 7–10 days after birth through the accumulation of various transmembrane proteins that are anchored to the dense actin-based membrane skeleton meshes being formed under the IS membrane. We conclude that various membrane proteins anchored to the dense membrane skeleton function as rows of pickets, which even stop the overall diffusion of phospholipids, and may represent a universal mechanism for formation of diffusion barriers in the cell membrane.

Full characterization of GPCR monomer–dimer dynamic equilibrium by single molecule imaging

A single-molecule tracking technique coupled with mathematical modeling was developed for fully determining the dynamic monomer–dimer equilibrium of molecules in or on the plasma membrane, which will provide a framework for understanding signal transduction pathways initiated and regulated by dynamic dimers of membrane-localized receptors.

ABCA1 dimer–monomer interconversion during HDL generation revealed by single-molecule imaging

The generation of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), one of the most critical events for preventing atherosclerosis, is mediated by ATP-binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1). ABCA1 is known to transfer cellular cholesterol and phospholipids to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) for generating discoidal HDL (dHDL) particles, composed of 100–200 lipid molecules surrounded by two apoA-I molecules; however, the regulatory mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here we observed ABCA1-GFP and apoA-I at the level of single molecules on the plasma membrane via a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope. We found that about 70% of total ABCA1-GFP spots are immobilized on the plasma membrane and estimated that about 89% of immobile ABCA1 molecules are in dimers. Furthermore, an ATPase-deficient ABCA1 mutant failed to be immobilized or form a dimer. We found that the lipid acceptor apoA-I interacts with the ABCA1 dimer to generate dHDL and is followed by ABCA1 dimer–monomer interconversion. This indicates that the formation of the ABCA1 dimer is the key for apoA-I binding and nascent HDL generation. Our findings suggest the physiological significance of conversion of the ABCA1 monomer to a dimer: The dimer serves as a receptor for two apoA-I molecules for dHDL particle generation.