spe-10 encodes a DHHC-CRD zinc-finger membrane protein required for endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi membrane morphogenesis during Caenorhabditis elegans spermatogenesis

Genetics. 2006 Jan;172(1):145-58. doi: 10.1534/genetics.105.047340. Epub 2005 Sep 2.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Base Sequence
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / immunology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / physiology*
  • Golgi Apparatus / physiology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Morphogenesis*
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Organelles
  • Phenotype
  • Rabbits
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Spermatids
  • Spermatogenesis / physiology*
  • Zinc Fingers*

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Membrane Proteins