Direct recruitment of H+-ATPase from lysosomes for phagosomal acidification

J Cell Sci. 2009 Jul 15;122(Pt 14):2504-13. doi: 10.1242/jcs.050443. Epub 2009 Jun 23.

Abstract

The nascent phagosome progressively establishes an acidic milieu by acquiring a proton pump, the vacuolar-type ATPase (V-ATPase). However, the origin of phagosomal V-ATPase remains poorly understood. We found that phagosomes were enriched with the V-ATPase a3 subunit, which also accumulated in late endosomes and lysosomes. We modified the mouse Tcirg1 locus encoding subunit a3, to express an a3-GFP fusion protein. Live-cell imaging and immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that nascent phagosomes received the a3-GFP from tubular structures extending from lysosomes located in the perinuclear region. Macrophages from a3-deficient mice exhibited impaired acidification of phagosomes and delayed digestion of bacteria. These results show that lysosomal V-ATPase is recruited directly to the phagosomes via tubular lysosomes to establish the acidic environment hostile to pathogens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Lysosomes / enzymology*
  • Lysosomes / microbiology
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / enzymology*
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Phagocytosis*
  • Phagosomes / enzymology*
  • Phagosomes / microbiology
  • Protein Transport
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / genetics
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Atp6ap1 protein, mouse
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases