Identification and characterization of Golgin-84, a novel Golgi integral membrane protein with a cytoplasmic coiled-coil domain

The cytoplasmic face of the Golgi contains a variety of proteins with coiled-coil domains. We identified one such protein in a yeast two hybrid screen, using as bait the peripheral Golgi phosphatidylinositol(4,5)P-2 8-phosphatase OCRL1 that is implicated in a human disease, the oculocerebrorenal syndrome. The similar to 2.8-kilobase mRNA is ubiquitously expressed and abundant in testis; it encodes a 731-amino acid protein with a predicted mass of 83 kDa. Antibodies against the sequence detect a novel similar to 84-kDa Golgi protein we termed golgin-84. Golgin-84 is an integral membrane protein with a single transmembrane domain close to its C terminus. In vitro, the protein inserts post-translationally into microsomal membranes with an N-cytoplasmic and C-lumen orientation. Cross-linking indicates that golgin-84 forms dimers, consistent with the prediction of an similar to 400-residue dimerizing coiled coil domain in its N terminus. The dimerization potential is supported by a data base search that showed that the N-terminal 497 residues of golgin-84 contain a coiled-coil domain that when fused to the RET tyrosine kinase domain had the ability to activate it, forming the RET-II oncogene. Data base searching also indicates golgin-84 is similar in structure and sequence to giantin, a membrane protein that tethers coatamer complex I vesicles to the Golgi.