Identification and characterization of Crumbs polarity complex proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: Crumbs proteins are evolutionarily conserved transmembrane proteins with essential roles in promoting the formation of the apical domain in epithelial cells. The short intracellular tail of Crumbs proteins are known to interact with several proteins, including the scaffolding protein PALS1 (protein associated with LIN7, Stardust in Drosophila). PALS1 in turn binds to a second scaffolding protein PATJ (PALS1-associated tight junction protein) to form the core Crumbs/PALS1/PATJ complex. While essential roles in epithelial organization have been shown for Crumbs proteins in Drosophila and mammalian systems, the three Caenorhabditis elegans crumbs genes are dispensable for epithelial polarization and development. Here, we investigated the presence and function of PALS1 and PATJ orthologs in C.

SUBMITTER: Castiglioni VG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9006659 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature