Membrane-anchored human Rab GTPases directly mediate membrane tethering in vitro

Rab GTPases are master regulators of eukaryotic endomembrane systems, particularly functioning in membrane tethering to confer the directionality of intracellular membrane trafficking. However, how exactly Rab GTPases themselves act upon membrane tethering processes has remained enigmatic. Here, we thoroughly tested seven purified Rab GTPases in human, which localize at the various representative organelles, for their capacity to support membrane tethering in vitro. Strikingly, we found that three specific human Rabs (endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi Rab2a, early endosomal Rab5a, and late endosomal/lysosomal Rab7a) strongly accelerated membrane aggregation of synthetic liposomes even in the absence of any additional components, such as classical tethers, tethering factors, and Rab effectors. This Rab-induced membrane aggregation was a reversible membrane tethering reaction that can be strictly controlled by the membrane recruitment of Rab proteins on both apposing membranes. Thus, our current reconstitution studies establish that membrane-anchored human Rab GTPases are an essential tethering factor to directly mediate membrane tethering events.