title: VMP1-deficient Chlamydomonas exhibits severely aberrant cell morphology and disrupted cytokinesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The versatile Vacuole Membrane Protein 1 (VMP1) has been previously investigated in six species. It has been shown to be essential in macroautophagy, where it takes part in autophagy initiation. In addition, VMP1 has been implicated in organellar biogenesis; endo-, exo- and phagocytosis, and protein secretion; apoptosis; and cell adhesion. These roles underly its proven involvement in pancreatitis, diabetes and cancer in humans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study we analyzed a VMP1 homologue from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. CrVMP1 knockdown lines showed severe phenotypes, mainly affecting cell division as well as the morphology of cells and organelles. We also provide several pieces of evidence for its involvement in macroautophagy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study adds a novel role to VMP1's repertoire, namely the regulation of cytokinesis. Though the directness of the observed effects and the mechanisms underlying them remain to be defined, the protein's involvement in macroautophagy in Chlamydomonas, as found by us, suggests that CrVMP1 shares molecular characteristics with its animal and protist counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Department of Plant Physiology, Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany. tenenboim@mpimp-golm.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Hezi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tenenboim
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smirnova
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Willmitzer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steup
authors.forename: Yariv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Brotman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D048430:Cell Shape; D002696:Chlamydomonas / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D048749:Cytokinesis; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D017343:Genes, Plant; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D055432:Metabolomics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D059748:Proteolysis; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins