Outer dense fibre protein 2 (ODF2) is a self-interacting centrosomal protein with affinity for microtubules.
Outer dense fibre protein 2 (ODF2) is a major protein of sperm tail outer dense fibres which are prominent sperm tail-specific cytoskeletal structures. Moreover, ODF2 was also identified as a widespread component of the centrosomal scaffold and was found to associate preferentially with the appendages of the mother centriole [Nakagawa, Y., Yamane, Y., Okanoue, T., Tsukita, S. and Tsukita, S. (2001) Mol. Biol. Cell 12, 1687-1697]. Secondary structure predictions indicated ODF2 as an overall coiled-coil protein with a putative fibre forming capacity. To investigate its potential functions in generating the centrosomal scaffold and in microtubule nucleation we asked whether ODF2 is able to form a fibrillar structure by self-association in vivo and if it interacts with microtubules. By cytological investigation of transfected mammalian cells expressing ODF2-GFP fusion proteins and in vitro coprecipitation assays we could demonstrate that ODF2 is a self-interacting protein that forms a fibrillar structure partially linked to the microtubule network. Microtubule cosedimentation and coprecipitation assays indicated ODF2 as a microtubule-associated protein. However, we could not demonstrate a direct interaction of ODF2 with tubulin, suggesting that binding of endogenous ODF2 to the axonemal as well as to centrosomal microtubules may be mediated by, as yet, unknown proteins.
Donkor
Fatima F
FF
Göttinger Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften, Entwicklungsbiologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Mönnich
Maren
M
Czirr
Eva
E
Hollemann
Thomas
T
Hoyer-Fender
Sigrid
S
D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D018385:Centrosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C490105:Odf2 protein, rat; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins