Eyes closed, a Drosophila p47 homolog, is essential for membrane biogenesis
Abstract
Regulated membrane fusion is fundamental to cell physiology and function, including vesicle-mediated transport through the secretory pathway and the post-mitotic reassembly of Golgi, ER and nuclear membranes. Morphogenesis of the Drosophila compound eye photoreceptor is a sensitive assay of membrane fusion pathways. Starting with a mutation impacting photoreceptor morphogenesis, I identify here a Drosophila gene, eyes closed (eyc), as a fly homolog of p47, a co-factor of p97 AAA ATPase that has been found to be involved in membrane fusion. Loss of Eyc function results in a lethal failure of nuclear envelope assembly in early zygotic divisions. Eyc overexpression in developing photoreceptors causes ER proliferation and inhibits rhodopsin transport to the developing photosensitive membrane. Phenotypes resulting from eyc mutations provide the first in vivo evidence for a role for p47 in membrane biogenesis.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Ready, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Cellular biology
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