Abstact

GGAs are critical for trafficking soluble proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to endosomes/lysosomes through interactions with TGN-sorting receptors, ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) and clathrin. ARF-GTP bound to TGN membranes recruits its effector GGA by binding to the GAT domain, thus facilitating recognition of GGA for cargo-loaded receptors. Here we report the X-ray crystal structures of the human GGA1-GAT domain and the complex between ARF1-GTP and the N-terminal region of the GAT domain. When unbound, the GAT domain forms an elongated bundle of three a-helices with a hydrophobic core. Structurally, this domain, combined with the preceding VHS domain, resembles CALM, an AP180 homolog involved in endocytosis. In the complex with ARF1-GTP, a helix-loop-helix of the N-terminal part of GGA1-GAT interacts with the switches 1 and 2 of ARF1 predominantly in a hydrophobic manner. These data reveal a molecular mechanism underlying membrane recruitment of adaptor proteins by ARF-GTP.