Publication Type Journal Article
Title CCT alpha and CCT delta Chaperonin Subunits Are Essential and Required for Cilia Assembly and Maintenance in Tetrahymena
Authors Cecilia Seixas Teresa Cruto Alexandra Tavares Jacek Gaertig M. H. A. Soares
Groups
Journal PLOS ONE
Year 2010
Month May
Volume 5
Number 5
Pages
Abstract Background: The eukaryotic cytosolic chaperonin CCT is a hetero-oligomeric complex formed by two rings connected back-to-back, each composed of eight distinct subunits (CCT alpha to CCT zeta). CCT complex mediates the folding, of a wide range of newly synthesised proteins including tubulin (alpha, beta and gamma) and actin, as quantitatively major substrates. Methodology/Principal Findings: We disrupted the genes encoding CCT alpha and CCT delta subunits in the ciliate Tetrahymena. Cells lacking the zygotic expression of either CCT alpha or CCT delta showed a loss of cell body microtubules, failed to assemble new cilia and died within 2 cell cycles. We also show that loss of CCT subunit activity leads to axoneme shortening and splaying of tips of axonemal microtubules. An epitope-tagged CCT alpha rescued the gene knockout phenotype and localized primarily to the tips of cilia. A mutation in CCT alpha, G346E, at a residue also present in the related protein implicated in the Bardet Biedel Syndrome, BBS6, also caused defects in cilia and impaired CCT alpha localization in cilia. Conclusions/Significance: Our results demonstrate that the CCT subunits are essential and required for ciliary assembly and maintenance of axoneme structure, especially at the tips of cilia.
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010704
ISBN
Publisher
Book Title
ISSN 1932-6203
EISSN
Conference Name
Bibtex ID ISI:000277776500018
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