The steady state distribution of humTGN46 is not significantly altered in cells defective in clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

It has been shown previously that whilst the rat type I integral membrane protein TGN38 (ratTGN38) is predominantly localised to the trans-Golgi network this protein does reach the cell surface from where it is internalised and delivered back to the trans-Golgi network. This protein thus provides a suitable tool for the investigation of trafficking pathways between the trans-Golgi network and the cell surface and back again. The human orthologue of ratTGN38, humTGN46, behaves in a similar fashion. These proteins are internalised from the cell surface via clathrin mediated endocytosis, a process which is dependent upon the GTPase activity of dynamin. We thus reasoned that humTGN46 would accumulate at the surface of cells rendered defective in clathrin mediated endocytosis by virtue of the fact that they express a GTPase defective mutant of dynamin I. It did not. In fact, expression of a dominant negative GTPase defective mutant of dynamin I had no detectable effect on the steady state distribution of humTGN46. One explanation for this observation is that humTGN46 does not travel directly to the cell surface from the trans-Golgi network. Further studies on cells expressing the dominant negative GTPase defective mutant of dynamin I indicate that the major recycling pathway for humTGN46 is in fact between the trans-Golgi network and the early endosome.