The kinases LF4 and CNK2 control ciliary length by feedback regulation of assembly and disassembly rates - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2013 Nov 18;23(22):2208-2214.

doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.09.038. Epub 2013 Oct 31.

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The kinases LF4 and CNK2 control ciliary length by feedback regulation of assembly and disassembly rates

Laura K Hilton et al. Curr Biol. 2013.

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Abstract

Background: Many of the diverse functions of cilia depend upon tight control of their length. Steady-state length reflects a balance between rates of ciliary assembly and disassembly, two parameters likely controlled by a length sensor of unknown identity or mechanism.

Results: A null mutation in Chlamydomonas CNK2, a member of the evolutionarily conserved family of NIMA-related kinases, reveals feedback regulation of assembly and disassembly rates. cnk2-1 mutant cells have a mild long-flagella (lf) phenotype as a consequence of reduced rates of flagellar disassembly. This is in contrast to the strong lf mutant lf4-7, which exhibits an aberrantly high rate of assembly. Cells carrying both mutations have even longer flagella than lf4-7 single mutants do. In addition to their high rate of assembly, lf4-7 mutants have a CNK2-dependent increase in disassembly rate. Finally, cnk2-1 cells have a decreased rate of turnover of flagellar subunits at the tip of the flagellum, demonstrating that the effects on disassembly are compensated by a reduced rate of assembly.

Conclusions: We propose a model wherein CNK2 and LF4 modulate rates of disassembly and assembly respectively in a feedback loop that is activated when flagella exceed optimal length.

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