Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 cooperates with the AP2 complex to promote endocytosis.

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) forms a novel coat protein complex with AP2, promoting endocytosis by acting as a cargo adaptor and stabilizer of the AP2 complex.

• Why it matters: Understanding how adaptor proteins coordinate cargo recognition is crucial for elucidating intracellular transport mechanisms, yet this process remains poorly understood. Clarifying PGK1's role could reveal new regulatory pathways in endocytosis.
• What they did: The study used biochemical and cellular approaches to demonstrate that PGK1 directly engages cargoes and reinforces AP2 complex stability, functioning independently of its enzymatic activity, and integrates into the AP2-clathrin complex.
• The result: Findings suggest PGK1's dual role enhances cargo recognition and internalization, establishing a previously unrecognized coat protein complex that may influence endocytic efficiency and regulation.