COG complex

Abstract

The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) protein complex consists of eight subunits named Cog1 through Cog8 (Kingsley et al. 1986; Ram et al. 2002; Suvorova et al. 2001, 2002; Ungar et al. 2002, Whyte and Munro 2001). Based on yeast genetic studies, biochemical observations and electron micrographs of the complex (Ungar et al. 2002) the COG subunits have been grouped into two lobes consisting of Cog1 to Cog4 and Cog5 to Cog8, respectively (Fig. 1). The two lobes appear to be interconnected by thin rods and/or globules. Cog1p is likely a bridging subunit between the two COG lobes in yeast (Fotso et al. 2005). The bridge that joins lobe A and lobe B in the mammalian COG complex is similarly composed of Cog1 and Cog8 (Oka et al. 2005; Ungar et al. 2005).