Regulation of contractile vacuole formation and activity in Dictyostelium

EMBO J. 2008 Aug 6;27(15):2064-76. doi: 10.1038/emboj.2008.131. Epub 2008 Jul 17.

Abstract

The contractile vacuole (CV) system is the osmoregulatory organelle required for survival for many free-living cells under hypotonic conditions. We identified a new CV regulator, Disgorgin, a TBC-domain-containing protein, which translocates to the CV membrane at the late stage of CV charging and regulates CV-plasma membrane fusion and discharging. disgorgin(-) cells produce large CVs due to impaired CV-plasma membrane fusion. Disgorgin is a specific GAP for Rab8A-GTP, which also localizes to the CV and whose hydrolysis is required for discharging. We demonstrate that Drainin, a previously identified TBC-domain-containing protein, lies upstream from Disgorgin in this pathway. Unlike Disgorgin, Drainin lacks GAP activity but functions as a Rab11A effector. The BEACH family proteins LvsA and LvsD were identified in a suppressor/enhancer screen of the disgorgin(-) large CV phenotype and demonstrated to have distinct functions in regulating CV formation. Our studies help define the pathways controlling CV function.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Contractile Proteins / genetics
  • Contractile Proteins / physiology*
  • Dictyostelium / genetics
  • Dictyostelium / physiology*
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / genetics
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / physiology*
  • Intracellular Membranes / physiology*
  • Protein Transport
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / physiology*
  • Vacuoles / physiology*
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology

Substances

  • Contractile Proteins
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins
  • LvsA protein, Dictyostelium
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • rab11 protein
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins