The DH-PH region of the giant protein UNC-89 activates RHO-1 GTPase in Caenorhabditis elegans body wall muscle

J Mol Biol. 2008 Nov 21;383(4):747-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.08.083. Epub 2008 Sep 9.

Abstract

Mutation of the Caenorhabditis elegans gene unc-89 results in disorganization of muscle A-bands. unc-89 encodes a giant polypeptide (900 kDa) containing a DH domain followed by a PH domain at its N terminus, which is characteristic of guanine nucleotide exchange factor proteins for Rho GTPases. To obtain evidence that the DH-PH region has activity toward specific Rho family small GTPases, we conducted an experiment using the yeast three-hybrid system. The DH-PH region of UNC-89 has exchange activity for RHO-1 (C. elegans RhoA), but not for CED-10 (C. elegans Rac), MIG-2 (C. elegans RhoG), or CDC-42 (C. elegans Cdc42). The DH domain alone has similar activity for RHO-1. An in vitro binding assay demonstrates interaction between the DH-PH region of UNC-89 and each of the C. elegans Rho GTPases. Partial knockdown of rho-1 in C. elegans adults showed a pattern of disorganization of myosin thick filaments similar to the phenotype caused by unc-89 (su75), a mutant allele in which all of the isoforms containing the DH-PH region are missing. Taken together, we propose a model in which the DH-PH region of UNC-89 activates RHO-1 GTPase for organization of myosin filaments in C. elegans muscle cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans* / anatomy & histology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans* / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Muscle Proteins / chemistry*
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / cytology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / metabolism
  • Myosin Heavy Chains / ultrastructure
  • Myosins / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA Interference
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Isoenzymes
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Unc-89 protein, C elegans
  • Myosin Heavy Chains
  • Myosins
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins