The impact on microtubule network of a bracovirus IkappaB-like protein.
Polydnavirus-encoded IkappaB-like proteins are similar to insect and mammalian IkappaB, and an immunosuppressive function in the host cells has been inferred to these proteins. Here we show that the expression of one of these IkappaB-like viral genes, the TnBVank1, in the Drosophila germline affects the localization of gurken, bicoid, and oskar mRNAs whose gene products are relevant for proper embryonic patterning. The altered localization of these mRNAs is suggestive of general defects in the intracellular, microtubule-based, trafficking routes. Analysis of microtubule motor proteins components such as the dynein heavy chain and the kinesin heavy chain revealed defects in the polarized microtubule network. Interestingly, the TnBVANK1 viral protein is uniformly distributed over the entire oocyte cortex, and appears to be anchored to the microtubule ends. Our data open up a very interesting issue on novel function(s) played by the ank gene family by interfering with cytoskeleton organization.
Duchi
Serena
S
Dipartimento Biologia Evoluzionistica Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 3, Bologna, Italy.
Cavaliere
Valeria
V
Fagnocchi
Luca
L
Grimaldi
Maria Rosaria
MR
Falabella
Patrizia
P
Graziani
Franco
F
Gigliotti
Silvia
S
Pennacchio
Francesco
F
Gargiulo
Giuseppe
G
D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009866:Oogenesis; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D018071:Polydnaviridae / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D034443:RNA Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014764:Viral Proteins