Sec61beta, a subunit of the protein translocation channel, is required during Drosophila development.
We have identified and isolated mutations in the first Drosophila gene encoding a subunit of the Sec61 protein translocation channel, DSec61beta. While neither the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sec61beta nor its functional Escherichia coli homologue are essential for viability or for protein translocation, we show that DSec61beta is essential for embryonic development. Homozygous mutant embryos die at the end of embryogenesis and are impaired in the secretion of cuticle proteins from the epidermis. DSec61beta germ line clones, result in defects in dorso-ventral patterning of the egg and are consistent with affected secretion of the protein Gurken from the oocyte to the follicle cells. Clonal analyses in the imaginal discs reveal defects in adult structures, including rhabdomere morphogenesis and a reduction of the size of tarsal segments in the leg. This is the first in vivo study of a component of the protein translocation machinery in higher eukaryotes, and illustrates how a protein that has an inessential, kinetic function in single-cell organisms can become critical for the complex development of a multicellular organism.
Valcárcel
R
R
Developmental Biology, Instrumentation Programme, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
Weber
U
U
Jackson
D B
DB
Benes
V
V
Ansorge
W
W
Bohmann
D
D
Mlodzik
M
M
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002823:Chorion / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; C499383:SEC61 protein, S cerevisiae; C499388:SEC61B protein, human; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C499386:Sec61beta protein, Drosophila