In Vitro Fusion of Phagosomes with Different Endocytic Organelles from J774 Macrophages

• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.46.30379
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T15:13:03Z
• Authors: Andrea Jahraus; Torunn E. Tjelle; Trond Berg; Anja Habermann; Brian Storrie; Oliver Ullrich; Gareth Griffiths
• Keywords: Organelle; Rab

We describe novel biochemical and electron microscopy assays to investigate <i>in vitro</i> fusion of latex bead phagosomes with three different endocytic organelle fractions from J774 macrophages. After formation, early fuse avidly late endosomes for a longer period time lysosomes, but they subsequently become fusion-incompetent. The early, not late, all could be significantly stimulated by Rab5. In contrast other cell types investigated, this Rab is uniquely enriched on both in Moreover, exogenous Rab5 stimulates homotypic between sets organelles. This was shown quantitative assay that can directly any combination morphologically defined By the same approach, we discovered an unexpected Rab5-stimulatable J774, BHK cells. Thus, cells pathway seem have evolved additional functions yet seen nonphagocytic