Katanin-like protein Katnal2 is required for ciliogenesis and brain development in Xenopus embryos

Developmental biology

Helen Rankin Willsey^2,3¹  Peter Walentek^2,1²  Cameron R.T. Exner^3³ 

[1] Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Cyprus^1;Department of Molecular&Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA^2;Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA^3

关键词: Katnal2;    Cilia;    Neurogenesis;    Autism;    Katanin;    Xenopus;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.08.002

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Academic Press

【 摘 要 】

Microtubule remodeling is critical for cellular and developmental processes underlying morphogenetic changes and for the formation of many subcellular structures. Katanins are conserved microtubule severing enzymes that are essential for spindle assembly, ciliogenesis, cell division, and cellular motility. We have recently shown that a related protein, Katanin-like 2 (KATNAL2), is similarly required for cytokinesis, cell cycle progression, and ciliogenesis in cultured mouse cells. However, its developmental expression pattern, localization, and in vivo role during organogenesis have yet to be characterized. Here, we used Xenopus embryos to reveal that Katnal2 (1) is expressed broadly in ciliated and neurogenic tissues throughout embryonic development; (2) is localized to basal bodies, ciliary axonemes, centrioles, and mitotic spindles; and (3) is required for ciliogenesis and brain development. Since human KATNAL2 is a risk gene for autism spectrum disorders, our functional data suggest that Xenopus may be a relevant system for understanding the relationship of mutations in this gene to autism and the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis.

【 授权许可】

CC BY