Open AccessRMND5 from Xenopus laevis Is an E3 Ubiquitin-Ligase and Functions in Early Embryonic Forebrain Development
Author(s) -
Thorsten Pfirrmann,
Pablo VillavicencioLorini,
Abinash K. Subudhi,
Ruth Menssen,
Dieter H. Wolf,
Thomas Hollemann
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0120342
Subject(s) - ubiquitin ligase , xenopus , ubiquitin , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , dna ligase , forebrain , ectoderm , ubiquitin protein ligases , embryogenesis , biochemistry , embryo , neuroscience , gene , central nervous system
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the Gid-complex functions as an ubiquitin-ligase complex that regulates the metabolic switch between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. In higher organisms six conserved Gid proteins form the CTLH protein-complex with unknown function. Here we show that Rmnd5, the Gid2 orthologue from Xenopus laevis, is an ubiquitin-ligase embedded in a high molecular weight complex. Expression of rmnd5 is strongest in neuronal ectoderm, prospective brain, eyes and ciliated cells of the skin and its suppression results in malformations of the fore- and midbrain. We therefore suggest that Xenopus laevis Rmnd5, as a subunit of the CTLH complex, is a ubiquitin-ligase targeting an unknown factor for polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation for proper fore- and midbrain development.