The two SAS-6 homologs in Tetrahymena thermophila have distinct functions in basal body assembly.

ABSTRACT: Cilia and flagella are structurally and functionally conserved organelles present in basal as well as higher eukaryotes. The assembly of cilia requires a microtubule based scaffold called a basal body. The ninefold symmetry characteristic of basal bodies and the structurally similar centriole is organized around a hub and spoke structure termed the cartwheel. To date, SAS-6 is one of the two clearly conserved components of the cartwheel. In some organisms, overexpression of SAS-6 causes the formation of supernumerary centrioles. We questioned whether the centriole assembly initiation capacity of SAS-6 is separate from or directly related to its structural role at the cartwheel. To address this question we used Tetrahymena thermophila, which expresses two SAS-6 homologues, TtSAS6a and TtSAS

SUBMITTER: Culver BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2655267 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature