spe-10 encodes a DHHC-CRD zinc-finger membrane protein required for endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi membrane morphogenesis during Caenorhabditis elegans spermatogenesis.
C. elegans spermatogenesis employs lysosome-related fibrous body-membranous organelles (FB-MOs) for transport of many cellular components. Previous work showed that spe-10 mutants contain FB-MOs that prematurely disassemble, resulting in defective transport of FB components into developing spermatids. Consequently, spe-10 spermatids are smaller than wild type and contain defective FB-MO derivatives. In this article, we show that spe-10 encodes a four-pass integral membrane protein that has a DHHC-CRD zinc-finger motif. The DHHC-CRD motif is found in a large, diverse family of proteins that have been implicated in palmitoyl transfer during protein lipidation. Seven spe-10 mutants were analyzed, including missense, nonsense, and deletion mutants. An antiserum to SPE-10 showed significant colocalization with a known marker for the FB-MOs during wild-type spermatogenesis. In contrast, the spe-10(ok1149) deletion mutant lacked detectable SPE-10 staining; this mutant lacks a spe-10 promoter and most coding sequence. The spe-10(eb64) missense mutation, which changes a conserved residue within the DHHC-CRD domain in all homologues, behaves as a null mutant. These results suggest that wild-type SPE-10 is required for the MO to properly deliver the FB to the C. elegans spermatid and the DHHC-CRD domain is essential for this function.
Gleason
Elizabeth J
EJ
Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Lindsey
Wesley C
WC
Kroft
Tim L
TL
Singson
Andrew W
AW
L'hernault
Steven W
SW
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000502:physiology*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000502:physiology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D015388:Organelles; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013087:Spermatids; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008565:Membrane Proteins