title: Membrane localization of the NlpC/P60 family protein EGL-26 correlates with regulation of vulval cell morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Vulval morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans generates a stack of toroidal cells enclosing a tubular lumen. Mutation of egl-26 is associated with malformation of vulF, the most dorsal toroid in the stack, resulting in a blocked lumen and an egg-laying defect. Here we present evidence that vulF retains the expected gene expression pattern, functions in signaling to the uterus and retains proper polarity when egl-26 is mutated, all suggesting that mutation of egl-26 specifically results in aberrant morphogenesis as opposed to abnormal fate specification. Recent computational analysis indicates that EGL-26, which was previously characterized as novel, belongs to the LRAT (lecithin retinol acyltransferase) subfamily of the NlpC/P60 superfamily of catalytic proteins. Via site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate a requirement of the putative catalytic residues for EGL-26 function in vivo. We also show that mutation of conserved serine 275 perturbs the apical membrane localization and the function of the EGL-26 protein. Additional mutagenesis of this residue suggests that EGL-26 attains its membrane localization via a mechanism distinct from that of LRAT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 104D Life Science Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Estes
authors.forename: Rasika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalamegham
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hanna-Rose
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014844:Vulva / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D000217:Acyltransferases; C056942:lecithin-retinol acyltransferase