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MAPK‐15 is a ciliary protein required for PKD‐2 localization and male mating behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans
Author(s) -
Piasecki Brian P.,
Sasani Thomas A.,
Lessenger Alexander T.,
Huth Nicholas,
Farrell Shane
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
cytoskeleton
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.95
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1949-3592
pISSN - 1949-3584
DOI - 10.1002/cm.21387
Subject(s) - biology , caenorhabditis elegans , microbiology and biotechnology , cilium , mapk/erk pathway , mutant , protein kinase a , gene isoform , phenotype , polycystic kidney disease , kinase , genetics , gene , kidney
Cilia are conserved cellular structures that facilitate sensory‐based processes, including those required for neuronal and kidney functions. Here, we show that the human mitogen activated kinase‐15 (MAPK‐15) ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a ciliary protein. A strain harboring a mutation in the catalytic site of the kinase domain results in ciliary‐specific defects in tail neurons of both hermaphrodite and male worms, manifesting in dye uptake, dendrite extension, and male mating behavior defects. Transgenic‐fusion constructs for two mapk‐15 isoforms (A and C) with full‐length kinase domains were generated. Expression of either the A‐ or C‐specific isoform rescues the dye‐filling and male‐mating defective phenotypes, confirming the ciliary function of mapk‐15 . Expression of mapk‐15 occurs in many ciliated‐sensory neurons of the head and tail in hermaphrodite and male worms. Localization of MAPK‐15 isoforms A and C occurs in the cell body, dendritic processes, and cilia. A C. elegans ortholog of polycystin‐2, a protein that when defective in mammals results in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, is mislocalized in the male ray neurons of mapk‐15 mutant worms. Expression of the mapk‐15 gene by the pkd‐2 promoter partially rescues the male‐mating defects observed in mapk‐15 mutant animals. Expression of mapk‐15 is DAF‐19/RFX dependent in some CSNs and DAF‐19/RFX independent in others. Collectively, these data suggest that MAPK‐15 functions upstream of PKD‐2 localization to modulate ciliary sensory functions.