Sequential action of Caenorhabditis elegans Rab GTPases regulates phagolysosome formation during apoptotic cell degradation.

ABSTRACT: Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells requires recognition of cell corpses followed by internalization and enclosure within plasma membrane-derived phagosomes. Phagosomes undergo maturation to generate phagolysosomes in which cell corpses are degraded; however, regulation of the maturation process is poorly understood. Here, we identified Rab GTPase 14, which regulates apoptotic cell degradation in Caenorhabditis elegans. rab-14 mutants accumulate many persistent cell corpses owing to defective cell corpse clearance. Loss of rab-14 function affects several steps of phagosome maturation including phagosomal acidification and phagolysosome formation. RAB-14 and UNC-108/RAB2 are recruited to phagosomes at a similar stage and function redundantly to regulate phagosome maturation. Three Rabs, RAB-14,

SUBMITTER: Guo P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2964220 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature