SEL-2, the C. elegans neurobeachin/LRBA homolog, is a negative regulator of lin-12/Notch activity and affects endosomal traffic in polarized epithelial cells

Development. 2007 Feb;134(4):691-702. doi: 10.1242/dev.02767. Epub 2007 Jan 10.

Abstract

The vulval precursor cells (VPCs) of Caenorhabditis elegans are polarized epithelial cells that adopt a precise pattern of fates through regulated activity of basolateral LET-23/EGF receptor and apical LIN-12/Notch. During VPC patterning, there is reciprocal modulation of endocytosis and trafficking of both LET-23 and LIN-12. We identified sel-2 as a negative regulator of lin-12/Notch activity in the VPCs, and found that SEL-2 is the homolog of two closely related human proteins, neurobeachin (also known as BCL8B) and LPS-responsive, beige-like anchor protein (LRBA). SEL-2, neurobeachin and LRBA belong to a distinct subfamily of BEACH-WD40 domain-containing proteins. Loss of sel-2 activity leads to basolateral mislocalization and increased accumulation of LIN-12 in VPCs in which LET-23 is not active, and to impaired downregulation of basolateral LET-23 in VPCs in which LIN-12 is active. Downregulation of apical LIN-12 in the VPC in which LET-23 is active is not affected. In addition, in sel-2 mutants, the polarized cells of the intestinal epithelium display an aberrant accumulation of the lipophilic dye FM4-64 when the dye is presented to the basolateral surface. Our observations indicate that SEL-2/neurobeachin/LRBA is involved in endosomal traffic and may be involved in efficient delivery of cell surface proteins to the lysosome. Our results also suggest that sel-2 activity may contribute to the appropriate steady-state level of LIN-12 or to trafficking events that affect receptor activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / physiology*
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Polarity
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Endosomes / metabolism*
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Protein Transport
  • Receptors, Notch
  • Stem Cells
  • Vulva / cytology

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Lin-12 protein, C elegans
  • Membrane Proteins
  • NBEA protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, Notch
  • SEL-2 protein, C elegans
  • LRBA protein, human
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases