The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein controls ciliogenesis by orienting microtubule growth.
Cilia are specialized organelles that play an important role in several biological processes, including mechanosensation, photoperception, and osmosignaling. Mutations in proteins localized to cilia have been implicated in a growing number of human diseases. In this study, we demonstrate that the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein (pVHL) is a ciliary protein that controls ciliogenesis in kidney cells. Knockdown of pVHL impeded the formation of cilia in mouse inner medullary collecting duct 3 kidney cells, whereas the expression of pVHL in VHL-negative renal cancer cells rescued the ciliogenesis defect. Using green fluorescent protein-tagged end-binding protein 1 to label microtubule plus ends, we found that pVHL does not affect the microtubule growth rate but is needed to orient the growth of microtubules toward the cell periphery, a prerequisite for the formation of cilia. Furthermore, pVHL interacts with the Par3-Par6-atypical PKC complex, suggesting a mechanism for linking polarity pathways to microtubule capture and ciliogenesis.
Schermer
Bernhard
B
Renal Division and 2Children's Hospital, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Ghenoiu
Cristina
C
Bartram
Malte
M
Müller
Roman Ulrich
RU
Kotsis
Fruzsina
F
Höhne
Martin
M
Kühn
Wolfgang
W
Rapka
Manuela
M
Nitschke
Roland
R
Zentgraf
Hanswalter
H
Fliegauf
Manfred
M
Omran
Heymut
H
Walz
Gerd
G
Benzing
Thomas
T
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004285:Dogs; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D016086:Lentivirus; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009024:Morphogenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D011485:Protein Binding; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C471157:PARD3B protein, human; C499657:PARD6A protein, human; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein; D011493:Protein Kinase C