A novel RAB5 binding site in human VPS34-CII that is likely the primordial site in eukaryotic evolution
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eLife Assessment
This convincing study examines a novel interaction of RAB5 with VPS34 complex II. Structural data are combined with site-directed mutagenesis, sequence analysis, biochemistry, yeast mutant analysis, and prior data on RAB1-VPS34 and RAB5-VPS34 interactions to provide a new perspective on how RAB GTPases recruit related but distinct VPS34 complexes to different organelles. Although minor revisions are recommended, the judgment is that this work represents a fundamental advance in our understanding of VPS34 localization and regulation.
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Abstract
RAB5-GTP activation of the multiprotein VPS34 complex II (VPS34-CII) is critical for endosomal sorting and maturation, phagocytosis, and receptor downregulation. GTP-RAB5 activates VPS34-CII, by binding to a helical insertion in the C2 domain of VPS34 on the BECLIN1/UVRAG-containing adaptor arm of the complex. The autophagy complex, VPS34 complex I (VPS34-CI), features a unique ATG14L subunit in place of the VPS34-CII UVRAG subunit, and we found that this distorts the adaptor arm to alter the VPS34 RAB-GTPase binding pocket so that it preferentially binds GTP-RAB1. Surprisingly, our higher-resolution single-particle cryo-EM structure of VPS34-CII showed a second GTP-RAB5 binding site on the VPS15 solenoid region. This site (VPS15-RAB5-site) appears to be the primordial RAB5-binding region. A mutant in the helical insertion of the C2 domain of human VPS34 that mimics the Saccharomyces cerevisiae sequence abolishes RAB5 binding to VPS34. Mutation of the VPS15-RAB5-site ortholog in S. cerevisiae VPS15 resulted in defective CPY sorting, loss of colocalization with the RAB5 ortholog Vps21, and loss of binding to Vps21 in vitro . Evolutionary expansion from one to two RAB5-orthologue binding sites may have increased membrane binding and VPS34-CII activity to adapt to more complex endocytic systems.
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eLife Assessment
This convincing study examines a novel interaction of RAB5 with VPS34 complex II. Structural data are combined with site-directed mutagenesis, sequence analysis, biochemistry, yeast mutant analysis, and prior data on RAB1-VPS34 and RAB5-VPS34 interactions to provide a new perspective on how RAB GTPases recruit related but distinct VPS34 complexes to different organelles. Although minor revisions are recommended, the judgment is that this work represents a fundamental advance in our understanding of VPS34 localization and regulation.
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Reviewer #1 (Public review):
Summary:
This manuscript presents high-resolution cryoEM structures of VPS34-complex II bound to Rab5A at 3.2A resolution. The Williams group previously reported the structure of VPS34 complex II bound to Rab5A on liposomes using tomography, and therefore, the previous structure, although very informative, was at lower resolution.
The first new structure they present is of the 'REIE>AAAA' mutant complex bound to RAB5A. The structure resembles the previously determined one, except that an additional molecule of RAB5A was observed bound to the complex in a new position, interacting with the solenoid of VPS15.
Although this second binding site exhibited reduced occupancy of RAB5A in the structure, the authors determined an additional structure in which the primary binding site was mutated to prevent RAB5A …
Reviewer #1 (Public review):
Summary:
This manuscript presents high-resolution cryoEM structures of VPS34-complex II bound to Rab5A at 3.2A resolution. The Williams group previously reported the structure of VPS34 complex II bound to Rab5A on liposomes using tomography, and therefore, the previous structure, although very informative, was at lower resolution.
The first new structure they present is of the 'REIE>AAAA' mutant complex bound to RAB5A. The structure resembles the previously determined one, except that an additional molecule of RAB5A was observed bound to the complex in a new position, interacting with the solenoid of VPS15.
Although this second binding site exhibited reduced occupancy of RAB5A in the structure, the authors determined an additional structure in which the primary binding site was mutated to prevent RAB5A binding ('REIE>ERIR'). In this structure, there is no RAB5A bound to the primary binding site on VPS34, but the RAB5A bound to VPS15 now has strong density. The authors note that the way in which RAB5A interacts with each site is distinct, though both interfaces involve the switch regions. The authors confirm the location of this additional binding site using HDX-MS.
The authors then determine multiple structures of the wild-type complex bound to RAB5A from a single sample, as they use 3D classifications to separate out versions of the complex bound to 0, 1, or 2 copies of RAB5A. Overall, the structure of VPS34-Complex II does not change between the different states, and the data indicate that both RAB5A binding sites can be occupied at the same time.
The authors then design a new mutant form of the complex (SHMIT>DDMIE) that is expected to disrupt the interaction at the secondary site between VPS15 and RAB5A. This mutation had a minor impact on the Kd for RAB5A binding, but when combined with the REIE>ERIR mutation of the primary binding site, RAB5A binding to the complex was abolished.
Comparison of sequences across species indicated that the RAB5A binding site on VPS15 was conserved in yeast, while the RAB5A binding site on VPS34 is not.
The authors tested the impact of a corresponding yeast Vps15 mutation (SHLITY>DDLIEY) predicted to disrupt interaction with yeast Rab5/Vps21, and found that this mutant Vps15 protein was mislocalized and caused defective CPY processing.
The authors then compare these structures of the RAB5A-class II complex to recently published structures from the Hurley group of the RAB1A-class I complex, and find that in both complexes the Rab protein is bound to the VPS34 binding site in a somewhat similar manner. However, a key difference is that the position of VPS34 is slightly different in the two complexes because of the unique ATL14L and UVRAG subunits in the class I and class II complexes, respectively. This difference creates a different RAB binding pocket that explains the difference in RAB specificity between the two complexes.
Finally, the higher resolution structures enable the authors to now model portions of BECLIN1 and UVRAG that were not previously modeled in the cryoET structure.
Strengths:
Overall, I found this to be an interesting and comprehensive study of the structural basis for the interaction of RAB5A with VPS34-complex II. The authors have performed experiments to validate their structural interpretations, and they present a clear and thorough comparative analysis of the Rab binding sites in the two different VPS34 complexes. The result is a much better understanding of how two different Rab GTPases specifically recruit two different, but highly similar complexes to the membrane surface.
Weaknesses:
No significant weaknesses were noted.
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Reviewer #2 (Public review):
The work by Spokaite et al describes the discovery of a novel Rab5 binding site present in complex II of class III PI3K using a combination of HDX and Cryo EM. Extensive mutational and sequence analysis define this as the primordial Rab5 interface. The data presented are convincing that this is indeed a biologically relevant interface, and is important in defining mechanistically how VPS34 complexes are regulated.
This paper is a very nice expansion of their previous cryo-ET work from 2021, and is an excellent companion piece on high-resolution cryo-EM of the complex I class III complex bound to Rab1 from the Hurley lab in 2025. Overall, this work is of excellent technical quality and answers important unexplained observations on some unexpected mutational analysis from the previous work.
They used their …
Reviewer #2 (Public review):
The work by Spokaite et al describes the discovery of a novel Rab5 binding site present in complex II of class III PI3K using a combination of HDX and Cryo EM. Extensive mutational and sequence analysis define this as the primordial Rab5 interface. The data presented are convincing that this is indeed a biologically relevant interface, and is important in defining mechanistically how VPS34 complexes are regulated.
This paper is a very nice expansion of their previous cryo-ET work from 2021, and is an excellent companion piece on high-resolution cryo-EM of the complex I class III complex bound to Rab1 from the Hurley lab in 2025. Overall, this work is of excellent technical quality and answers important unexplained observations on some unexpected mutational analysis from the previous work.
They used their increased affinity VPS34 mutant to determine the 3.2 ang structure of Rab5 bound to VPS34-CII. Clear density was seen for the original Rab5 interface, but an additional site was observed. Based on this structure, they mutated out the VPS34 interface, allowing for a high-resolution structure of the Rab5 bound at the VPS15 interface.
They extensively validated the VPS15 interface in the yeast variant of VPS34, showing that the Vp215-Rab5 (VPS21) interface identified is critical in controlling complex II VPS34 recruitment.
The major strengths of this paper are that the experiments appear to be done carefully and rigorously, and I have very few experimental suggestions.
Here is what I recommend based on some very minor weaknesses I observed
(1) My main concern has to do a little bit with presentation. My main issue is how the authors use mutant description. They clearly indicate the mutant sequence in the human isoform (for example, see Figure 2A, VPS15 described as 579-SHMIT-583>DDMIE); however, when they shift to the yeast version, they shift to saying VPS15 mutant, but don't define the mutant, Figure 2G). I would recommend they just include the same sequence numbering and WT to mutant replacement every time a new mutant (or species) is described. It is always easier to interpret what is being shown when the authors are jumping between species, when the exact mutant is included. This is particularly important in this paper, where we are jumping between different subunits and different species, so a clear description in the figure/figure legends makes it much easier to read for non-specialists.
(2) The HDX data very clearly shows that Rab5 is likely able to bind at both sites, which back ups the cryo EM data nicely. I am slightly confused by some of the HDX statements described in the methods.
(3) The authors state, "Only statistically significant peptides showing a difference greater than 0.25 Da and greater than 5% for at least two timepoints were kept." This seems to be confusing as to why they required multiple timepoints, and before they also describe that they required a p-value of less than 0.05. It might be clearer to state that significant differences required a 0.25 Da, 5%, and p-value of <0.05 (n=3). Also, what do they mean by kept? Does this mean that they only fully processed the peptides with differences?
(4) They show peptide traces for a selection in the supplement, but it would be ideal to include the full set of HDX data as an Excel file, including peptides with no differences, as there is a lot of additional information (deuteration levels for everything) that would be useful to share, as recommended from the Masson et al 2019 recommendations paper. This may be attached, but this reviewer could not see an example of it in the shared data dropbox folder.
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Reviewer #3 (Public review):
Summary:
The manuscript of Spokaite et al. focuses on the Vps34 complex involved in PI3P production. This complex exists in two variants, one (class I) specific for autophagy, and a second one (class II) specific for the endocytic system. Both differ only in one subunit. The authors previously showed that the Vps34 complexes interact with Rab GTPases, Rab1 or Rab5 (for class II), and the identified site was found at Vps34. Now, the authors identify a conserved and overlooked Rab5 binding site in Vps15, which is required for the function of the Class II complex. In support of this, they show cryo-EM data with a second Rab5 bound to Vps15, identify the corresponding residues, and show by mutant analysis that impaired Rab5 binding also results in defects using yeast as a model system.
Overall, this is a most …
Reviewer #3 (Public review):
Summary:
The manuscript of Spokaite et al. focuses on the Vps34 complex involved in PI3P production. This complex exists in two variants, one (class I) specific for autophagy, and a second one (class II) specific for the endocytic system. Both differ only in one subunit. The authors previously showed that the Vps34 complexes interact with Rab GTPases, Rab1 or Rab5 (for class II), and the identified site was found at Vps34. Now, the authors identify a conserved and overlooked Rab5 binding site in Vps15, which is required for the function of the Class II complex. In support of this, they show cryo-EM data with a second Rab5 bound to Vps15, identify the corresponding residues, and show by mutant analysis that impaired Rab5 binding also results in defects using yeast as a model system.
Overall, this is a most complete study with little to criticize. The paper shows convincingly that the two Rab5 binding sites are required for Vps34 complex II function, with the Vps15 binding site being critical for endosomal localization. The structural data is very much complete. What I am missing are a few controls that show that the mutations in Vps15 do not affect autophagy. I also found the last paragraph of the results section a bit out of place, even though this is a nice observation that the N-terminal part of BECLIN has these domains. However, what does it add to the story?
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